ABSTRACT

Thrips annually cause crop delay and yield loss in Arkansas. New seed treatments offer ease of use and safety over traditional in-furrow insecticides. Gaucho, Cruiser and the experimental seed treatment L0263+L0112 (Gustafson) were evaluated against various rates of the in-furrow standard aldicarb for their efficacy against early season thrips in 2002 and 2003. In 2002, thrips pressure was extremely high and all treatments controlled thrips up to 21 days after planting (DAP). In 2003, thrips pressure was much lower and all treatments again controlled thrips up to 23 DAP. Significant yield increases were observed in 2002 ranging from 275lbs to 400+ lbs of lint over the untreated control. No significant yield increases were observed in 2003.