Early season thrips control remains a controversial topic. The recent interest in early season pest control led to a reevaluation of management strategies currently utilized by cotton growers in the Texas High Plains. A 3-year -study initiated in 1983 indicated thrips injury to cotton plants from emergence to the 4th or 5th true leaf stage resulted in significant reduction of true leaf surface area, delay in square initiation, reduction in number of early set squares, reduction in number of early bolls, and final yield. Plant protection was maximized with treatments which prevented injury at plant emergence. Management strategies which provided the most protection were systemic insecticides, seed treatments and automatic foliar treatments. Those strategies providing the least benefit were foliar treatments based on visible damage or the currently recommended numerical economic threshold.