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Effect of Surface Tillage on Population Dynamics of Beneficial Arthropods in Cotton

Gloria S. McCutcheon


 
ABSTRACT

Conservation tillage in cotton production causes some concern because of the potential for insect pests to build up in crop residues. The effect of conservation tillage on natural enemies of major insect pests of cotton was determined during 1997 and 1998 in Florence, SC. Treatments included rye/disk, rye/no-till, monocrop/disk, monocrop/no-till, corn/disk, and corn/no-till. The last two were rotated with corn during 1997 and cotton during 1998. Insect pests detected included thrips, tobacco budworms, cotton bollworms, soybean loopers, beet armyworms, fall armyworms, and cotton aphids. The most abundant predator was the imported fire ant. The ants were more abundant in the rye/no-till treatment where no aldicarb was applied than in each of the other treatments. Other major predators included bigeyed bugs and lady beetles. More bigeyed bugs were observed in the disked treatments. More lady beetles occurred in the monocrop/disk treatments. In addition, hooded beetles, lacewings, spiders, and pirate bugs were detected. Conservation tillage can have an effect on population density of selected predaceous arthropods.



Reprinted from Proceedings of the 1999 Beltwide Cotton Conferences pp. 1117 - 1120
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Monday, Jun 21 1999