The threecornered alfalfa hopper (TCAH), Spissistilus festinus (Say), is a stem girdling insect pest that has the potential to injure seedling cotton resulting in stunted growth and discoloration. During 2023 and 2024, 120 field surveys were conducted across eight cotton producing counties in the Mississippi Hills region to identify environments favorable for TCAH damage, as well as quantify the amount of damage observed. Field characteristics such as weed presence, tillage practice, and environments bordering the field were recorded along with cotton growth stage. The number of damaged plants out of 100 plants was recorded at 0, 4, 8, 15, 30, and 45 m into the field to determine damage distribution. Higher amounts of TCAH damage were associated with fields that implemented no-tillage cultivation systems and had high populations of weeds along field edges. Damage was more prevalent at 0 m and decreased further into the field; confirming that this is an issue predominantly along field edges. From these results, the implementation of cultural practices such as conventional tillage and minimizing weedy field edges could lessen the effects of TCAH damage on cotton, thus limiting the need for chemical control.
