How Aggressive Should Bollworm Treatments Be?

Bollworm moths are becoming more common in Mid-South cotton, with eggs and small larvae visible in many places. Consultants are also reporting square damage and damage to small bolls under bloom tags.

According to Mississippi State University Entomologists Angus Catchot, Jeff Gore and Don Cook, there’s a good chance that more bollworms came through early planted Bt corn this year and have been preselected for greater tolerance to the toxins in Bt cotton.

In an online posting, the team offers treatment suggestions based on what they’ve seen to date and the Bt technologies used in the field.