ABSTRACT

Thrips are a reoccurring problem in seedling cotton in the Texas High Plains. Temik, a granular systemic insecticide, is the standard thrips control practice when preventative treatments are used. Declining use has occurred in response to more recent poor economics of cotton production. The recent release of the new Cruiser seed treatment and the increased interest of producers to economize thrips control led to the following study where various foliar treatments, Gaucho and Cruiser seed treatments were compared to Temik and an untreated check. The Gaucho seed treatment was not effective due to the presence of western flower thrips. The Cruiser seed treatment was as cost effective as the Temik treatment. Foliar treatments, when timed properly did provide control and yield benefits similar to the preventative treatments. Effective thrips control practices needed to last 4 weeks to maximize benefits. Foliar treatment thresholds should include not only thrips numbers but also percent immatures as criteria. COTMAN was able to graphically represent the delay that thrips damage causes to seedling cotton; resulting in up to 2 weeks harvest delays and substantial yield losses.