Tips for Thrips Control in Young Cotton

By Cotton Grower Staff|April 25, 2018

Across most of the Cotton Belt, thrips are considered the number one pest of seedling cotton. And according to the Mississippi State University Extension and research entomologists, the probability of having a thrips infestation in cotton in most parts of the Mid-South is 100%.

Preventative use of seed treatments is a standard – and appropriate – practice, especially when data from more than 35 trials in Mississippi shows a 115 lbs. lint yield advantage when thrips are controlled with a seed treatment.

In a post on the Mississippi Crop Situation website, entomologists Angus Catchot, Jeff Gore and Don Cook outline the advantages of preventative seed treatments and/or foliar rescue applications for thrips management and provide recommendations for effective treatment options.

The researchers point out, “An important thing to remember is that the first few weeks after plant emergence are critical to set the crop up for the rest of the year. Poor seedling growth will almost always delay maturity and make plant bug management much more difficult.”