1. Cotton IPM Agent Training
Phillip Roberts
Cell: (229)
January 9 (SW) and 10 (SE), 2017

2. UGA Pest Management Handbook
Insecticides are used as a last resort
Thresholds
Must be effective
Efficacy trials
Susceptibility monitoring
Resistance management
Impact on natural enemies and other pests
Optimal use patterns

3. Pest Patrol (Insect Updates)
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Entomologist
University or Region
Short Code Word
Blayne Reed
Texas A&M University - Plainview
pestpat1
Stephen Biles
Texas A&M University – Port Lavaca
pestpat2
David Kerns
Louisiana State University
pestpat4
Angus Catchot
Mississippi State University
pestpat5
Gus Lorenz
University of Arkansas
pestpat6
Jeremy Greene
Clemson University
pestpat7
Ames Herbert
Virginia Tech University
pestpat8
Dominic Reisig
North Carolina State University
pestpat9
Phillip Roberts
University of Georgia
pestpat10
Ron Smith
Auburn University
pestpat11
Scott Stewart
University of Tennessee
pestpat12

4. Pollinator Protection

5. Insecticide Applications per Acre Georgia Cotton, 1986-2015
Boll Weevil Era
Two significant events have changed
cotton IPM during the last 25 years.
-Active BWEP- (does not include BWEP sprays)
Boll Weevil Free
Bt Cotton
Heliothines
Boll Feeding Bugs (non-Lep pests)
Source: Beltwide Cotton Conferences Proceedings

6. IPM Integrated Pest Management Decision Making Reducing Risk
the use of ALL available control tactics so that economic losses and harmful environmental side effects are minimized.
Decision Making
Premium placed on insect scouting and KNOWLEDGE of the “SYSTEM”.
Reducing Risk

7. Scouts / Consultants Offers great value to growers.
2017 Scout Schools
Tifton: June 12th
Midville: June 20th
Offers great value to growers.
Must know insect pest populations and species makeup to make Good Decisions.
Economic Thresholds
Insecticide Selection
Timing of Applications
Evaluation of Sprays
Detection of Potential Problems
Insects/Weeds/Fertility/
PGRs/Diseases/etc.
Dr. Mike Toews, 2007

8. Current Insect Pest Management
IPM is a proven program!
Growers have gotten by……
Minimal scouting
Great Technology
A couple of stink bug
sprays (Spray and Pray)
What ifs???????
Thrips
Plant Bugs
Corn Earworm
Spider Mites
Whiteflies

9. Insecticide Resistance Monitoring
Corn Earworm
Bt Cotton
Pyrethroids
Tobacco Budworm
Tobacco Thrips
Neonics
Soybean Looper
Diamides
Intrepid

10. Bt Technologies and Reduced CEW Efficacy
Resistance Management plans are designed to protect the technology.
Similar genes in both corn and cotton.
Bt Corn
Structured Refuge
20 percent non-Bt
Bt Cotton
Natural Refuge

11. Percentage reduction in corn ear injury (cm2) by Genuity VT3 PRO or VT2 PRO in Southern GA (average of 2 locations)
Comparison of DKS 6694 (non-Bt) with DKS 6696 and/or DKS 6697 at Plains and Tifton, GA.
Pdate 1 is for mid March to early April plantings and Pdate 2 is for late May to early June plantings.
Buntin, UGA 2016

12. 2016 Southeast diet overlay- Cry1Ac
Location
Source
LC50
(ug/cm2)
Lower FL
Upper
RGR (weight at
31.6 ug/cm2)
RGR (instar at AL
Non-Bt corn (2)
2.37
1.39
3.9
0.009
0.079
Benzon
Lab
0.43
0.26
0.64
0.000
0.008 GA
Non-Bt corn
>31.60 .
0.105
0.365
NC*
Non-Bt cotton*
10.79
3.59
30.35
~0.069
~0.28 NC
Bt cotton
43.50
12.38
453.75
0.015
0.165
Tobacco
1.07
0.58
1.79 SC
1.74
0.32
3.68
Non-Bt cotton
53.87
19.38
498.00
0.049
0.403 VA
Bt corn
74.93
12.04
7811
0.114
0.364
Tested at 0, , 0.1, 0.316, 1, 3.16, 10, 31.6 ug/cm2
Except *NC non-Bt cotton tested at 0, 0.1, 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 ug/cm2

13. Bt Technologies and Reduced CEW Efficacy
Resistance Management plans are designed to protect the technology.
Similar genes in both corn and cotton.
Bt Corn
Structured Refuge
20 percent non-Bt
Bt Cotton
Natural Refuge

14. TBW remains Very Susceptible to Bt Cotton

15. CEW AVT (Pyrethroids) Season Mean Survival, Georgia 2006-2016
Pyrethroid applications in corn select for resistance.
Greg Payne, West Georgia
Call if field control issue!
CEW AVT (Pyrethroids) Season Mean Survival, Georgia
No field problems, however we have rarely sprayed a pyrethroid for CEW control in any crop during recent years.

16. Bt Cottons are not IMMUNE to caterpillar pests
Bt Cottons are not IMMUNE to caterpillar pests! IPM principles and practices are needed and provide value to the grower!
o=no activity, +++=very good
TBW
Tobacco
Budworm
CEW Corn
Earworm
SBL Soybean
Looper
BAW Beet
Armyworm
FAW
Fall
WideStrike III (Vip3A+Cry1Ac+Cry1F)
+++
Bollgard II
(Cry1Ac+Cry2Ab)
TwinLink
(Cry1Ab+Cry2Ae)
WideStrike
(Cry1Ac+Cry1F) ++
3-gene Bt Cottons
-Resistance Management
-Improved Efficacy
In development:
TwinLink Plus (Vip3A+Cry1Ab+Cry2Ae)
Bollgard III (Vip3A+Cry1Ac+Cry2Ab)

18. Neonic Field Efficacy – Tobacco Thrips Tift Co. GA 2015
Untreated
Neonic Seed Treatment

19. Tobacco Thrips Susceptibility to Neonics
55 percent (5 of 9) of Georgia collections classified as resistant in laboratory bioassays;
LC50 Resistance Ratios ranged from 11 to 31 fold.
Franklinella fusca resistance to neonicotinoid insecticides: an emerging challenge for cotton pest management in the eastern United States (Huseth et.al. Pest Management Science 2016).
Susceptible 3.3%
Susceptible 1.8%

20. Percent Thrips Control (immatures) 3 WAP Georgia (2001-2015, n=42)
2016 improved efficacy
Loss of residual activity very apparent.

21. Resistance Monitoring 2013 to 2015
Soybean looper late instar larvae collected (~300) per location
We used a 7 day diet incorporated insecticide (formulated product) bioassay on the F1 or F2 generation
3rd instar larvae
Discriminating dose was 3X mean LC95 of our susceptible strain (Whalon et al. 2008)
Dose response curves conducted as well

22. Discriminating Dose Response (95% Mortality Expected)

23. Discriminating Dose Response (95% Mortality Expected)

24. Insecticide Resistance Concerns
Be informed
Use IPM
Scout
Thresholds
Conserve Natural Controls
Predators and Parasitoids
Manageable, but MANAGEMENT is the key

25. Bt Cottons are not IMMUNE to caterpillar pests
Bt Cottons are not IMMUNE to caterpillar pests! IPM principles and practices are needed and provide value to the grower!
o=no activity, +++=very good
TBW
Tobacco
Budworm
CEW Corn
Earworm
SBL Soybean
Looper
BAW Beet
Armyworm
FAW
Fall
WideStrike III (Vip3A+Cry1Ac+Cry1F)
+++
Bollgard II
(Cry1Ac+Cry2Ab)
TwinLink
(Cry1Ab+Cry2Ae)
WideStrike
(Cry1Ac+Cry1F) ++
3-gene Bt Cottons
-Resistance Management
-Improved Efficacy
In development:
TwinLink Plus (Vip3A+Cry1Ab+Cry2Ae)
Bollgard III (Vip3A+Cry1Ac+Cry2Ab)

26. CEW Escapes in Bt Cotton Generally associated near nodes at or below uppermost white bloom.
Square damage more common in recent years (this is a change).

27. Bt Transgenic Cotton Tobacco Budworm excellent control Corn Earworm
good control
supplemental treatment may be needed.
Larvae must feed on plant to ingest toxin.
Threshold:
8 large (>1/4 inch) larvae per 100 plants
Scouting
CEW larvae generally found in or near the uppermost blooming node.
Toxin Expression
Highest in terminal
Lower in blooms (pollen)
Behavior, ballooning

28. CEW Scouting
Examine top 12 inches or top 1/3 of plants.
“dig” in bud
open all squares
Also examine:
one bloom
one bloom-tagged boll
one boll
If plant damaged:
search whole plant
Record number of eggs and small and large larvae per 100 plants.

29. Conservation Biological Control
Tobacco Budworm and Bollworm
Primary Pests

30. Stink Bug Feeding
Feeds primarily on fruiting structures and meristematic tissues (seed and surrounding tissues in cotton bolls).
Physical destruction of seed (lint production reduced).
Introduces or allows entry (wounds) of pathogens and decay organisms.
Stink bug damage common at cotton and peanut interface!

32. Decision Aid for Stink Bug Thresholds in Southeast Cotton

33. Insecticide Selection Presence Should Influence Decisions
Spider Mites
CEW/FAW (Leps)
Aphids
Whiteflies

34. Expert System Rules Decision Aid for Stink Bugs in Cotton
Week of Bloom: treatment threshold triggers
Dynamic Threshold
Enter Percent Boll Injury
Stink Bug Species: insecticide choice
Southern Green (<25% Brown): pyrethroid
Mixed (25-75% Brown): organophosphate
Brown (>75% Brown): organophosphate
Other Pest Species (commonly found but below established action thresholds):
Weeks 2-5 of Bloom:
Caterpillars: include pyrethroid
Aphids: include dicrotophos, avoid acephate
SLWF: use bifenthrin, avoid dicrotophos
Mites: use bifenthrin, avoid acephate
Weeks 6-7 of Bloom:
SLWF: use bifenthrin
Mites: use bifenthrin

35. Spider Mites
Threshold: Apply when 50 percent of plants are symptomatic and populations are increasing.

36. Silverleaf Whitefly Management
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE
Cultural control
Avoid late planting
Conserve Benes
Smooth leaf varieties
Insecticides if needed

37. Tarnished Plant Bugs
Treat when plants are retaining less than 80% of pinhead squares and plant bugs are present
If bolls are being damaged, cannot be distinguished from stink bug, use Dynamic Threshold for Stink Bug.
Sweep Net best for adults, pre-bloom
Weeks 1-3 of Squaring: per100 sweeps
3rd wk. of Squaring thru Bloom: 15 per 100 sweeps
Drop Cloth (Black) best for nymphs, post-bloom
Weeks 1-3 of Squaring: per 6 row ft.
3rd wk. of Squaring thru Bloom: 3 per 6 row ft.
Dirty Blooms: 15 percent

38. Tarnished Plant Bug Plant bug applications can flare spider mites.
Nymphs in squares/blooms,
rarely see in Georgia.
Plant bug applications can flare spider mites.

39. Tarnished Plant Bug
Notice “scar”

40. Retention GOAL at First Bloom
Goal is to retain 80 percent of first positions when at first bloom.
Maximum Yield Potential
Periodically pull up plants and monitor retention of all first position squares.
1st Positions
2nd Positions
3rd Positions

41. Seedling Thrips Predictable insect pest.
Damage includes leaf distortion, stunted plants, delays in maturity, loss of apical dominance, reduced yield potential, and in severe cases stand loss.
Susceptibility to thrips feeding
cotyledon > 1-leaf > 2-leaf >3-4 leaf
Slow seedling growth results in increased injury symptoms and plant damage.
Preventive treatments used at planting:
Consistent yield response.
Aldicarb (AgLogic 15G)
Orthene in-furrow spray, seed treatment
Imidacloprid in-furrow spray
Seed Treatments (imidacloprid, thiamethoxam)
Supplemental foliar spray needed when high thrips risk
Jack Reed,

42. 1-Leaf

43. Average Number of Thrips Eggs by Plant Date and Leaf in Control Plots
Jacobson, Auburn 2017
Average Number of Thrips Eggs by Plant Date and Leaf in Control Plots
A high percentage of thrips eggs are laid on cotyledons.
Just means, going to take more time to sort out egg data because there are limited number of dates with some of these leaves.
Plant Date 1
Plant Date 2
Plant Date 3
Plant Date 4
Plant Date 5
Plant Date 6

44. CORE Thrips Trials Georgia 2016
County On-farm Research and Education trials
59 fields in 21 counties

45. Adult thrips per Plant (1-leaf cotton) Georgia CORE Thrips 2016

46. Percent Biomass Response (28 DAP) to Orthene at 1st Leaf Georgia CORE Thrips 2016

47. Thrips per Plant (1-leaf cotton) Georgia CORE Thrips 2016
Thrips infestations 2.5X in high risk fields vs low risk fields
Fields exceeding threshold at 1-leaf:
High Risk: 73 percent
Low Risk: 27 percent
90 percent of fields had immature thrips present at 1-leaf
Thrips per Plant (1-leaf cotton) Georgia CORE Thrips 2016
planted prior to May 10
conventional tillage
planted on or after May 10
and/or reduced tillage

48. Management of Thrips on Cotton
Relative risk of thrips injury over planting dates can be projected using rainfall and
temperature to predict overlap of thrips dispersal and cotton susceptibility
Cotton Thrips Injury Projector Risk by Planting Date Timeline (Chappell & Kennedy)
Neonicotinoid seed treatments prevent larval feeding damage for 2-3 weeks

49. Cotton Thrips Infestation Projector TIP
TIPs model predicted earlier thrips dispersal in 2016 vs 2015

50. Thrips Infestations by Calendar Date (untreated plots) 2015 & 2016
Peak 12 days earlier in 2016 vs 2015

51. Questions? Needs?