Just a short update on the thrips situation in Virginia cotton and peanuts – I have gotten several calls from growers and field scouts/consultants with questions about what the thrips are doing, and how the Temik and seed treatments are holding up given this strange season. It was very dry in April and early May to the extent that growers had to stop planting. This week that situation totally reversed itself with some areas (our research Center included) getting over 5 inches of rain. The rain has brought a lot of cotton out of the ground that had been sitting for several days in the dry soil, almost two weeks in some cases. In my plots, as in many growers’ fields, some plants had already emerged and are in the 1– to 2 –leaf stage, while others are just emerging. But the good news is that as of today, the Temik and seed treatments are holding well. I base this on the soapy-sample data (5 cotton seedlings per plot, 10 peanut leaflets per plot) from several tests we sampled this week.

In cotton tests (planted on May 4), Temik treated plots are averaging about 1.5 adults/5 plants and Aeris seed treatment plots are averaging about 2.5 – 3 adults/5 plants. This is compared to about 20-30 adults/5 plants in the untreated controls. So far, there are almost no larvae in any plots, but with these high adult numbers, we expect to see a lot over the next 2 weeks.

In peanut tests (planted on Apr 29), Temik treated plots are averaging about 1 – 2 adults/10 leaflets, compared with 15 – 25 adults/10 leaflets in the untreated controls. Larval numbers are also still very low, less than 1/leaflet even in the untreated controls. Again, these high adult numbers will result in large larval populations over the next couple of weeks.

But, for now, the in-furrow and seed treatments are holding. We are sampling some Avicta seed treated cotton plots later in the week so will have some of that data to share next week.