Cotton Insect Losses for 1993

Michael R. Williams; Extension Entomologist; Chairman

Cooperative Extension Service

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS 39762

State Coordinators

Alabama-----Dr. Ronald H. Smith

Arkansas-----Dr. Don Johnson

Arizona-----Dr. Peter Ellsworth

California-----Dr. Peter Goodell

Florida-----Dr. R.K. Sprenkel

Georgia-----Dr. William R. Lambert

Louisiana-----Dr. Jack Baldwin

Mississippi-----Dr. Blake Layton

Missouri-----Dr. Clyde Sorensen

New Mexico-----Dr. Charles R. Ward

North Carolina-----Dr. Jack Bacheler

Oklahoma-----Dr. Miles Karner

South Carolina-----Dr. Mitchell Roof

Tennessee-----Dr. Phillip Roberts

Texas-----Dr. James Leser

Virginia-----Dr. James Roberts, Sr.

Background

This information was provided by state coordinators and was collected from surveys of county agents, extension specialists, private consultants and research entomologists. All data are averaged over a total reporting unit, state, etc. For example, if a unit report represents 100 acres and 25 of those acres have an 8% loss, then in the table summary there is a 2% loss shown ((.08x25)/100). This type of averaging is used for all data reported including yields and control costs.

Highlights

Overall losses to arthropod pests were about the same for 1992 (6.90%) and 1993 (6.88%). Boll weevils at 1.88%, and boll/budworms at 1.56% remained the leading pests of cotton. Lygus and Thrips at 0.88% were tied for third most damaging pest. Beet armyworms at 0.57%, spider mites at 0.34%, aphids at 0.30% and sweet potato whitefly at 0.21% also contributed to insect losses. Most other pests contributed less that 0.1% damage. Cutworms, not reported, were also cited for damage in some areas in 1993.

Weevils currently infest about 52% of all U.S. cotton, while the bollworm/budworm complex is found in about 73%. Thrips were reported on 82% of all U.S. cotton, this number is up by 1/3 and may reflect a chang in reporting as most coordinators indicated that 'infurrow' treatments were taken into account. Insect losses amounted to more than $331 million with an accompanied insecticide bill of more than $586 million ($45.21/Ac). Total cost of arthropods to the 1993 crop exceeded $917 million.

KEY TO TABLES

Table 1----------USDA Yield Estimates

Table 2----------Summary of All States

Table 3----------Central Alabama

Table 4----------North Alabama

Table 5----------South Alabama

Table 6----------Alabama Summary

Table 7----------Northeast Arkanasas

Table 8----------Southeast Arkansas

Table 9----------Arkansas Summary

Table 10---------Arizona

Table 11---------California

Table 12---------Florida

Table 13---------Georgia

Table 14---------Louisiana

Table 15---------Mississippi Delta

Table 16---------Mississippi Hills

Table 17---------Mississippi Summary

Table 18---------Missouri

Table 19---------New Mexico

Table 20---------North Carolina

Table 21---------Oklahoma

Table 22---------South Carolina

Table 23---------Tennessee

Table 24---------Texas, District 1

Table 25---------Texas, District 2

Table 26---------Texas, District 3

Table 27---------Texas, District 4

Table 28---------Texas, District 5

Table 29---------Texas, District 6

Table 30---------Texas, District 7

Table 31---------Texas, District 8

Table 32---------Texas, District 9

Table 33---------Texas, District 10

Table 34---------Texas, District 11

Table 35---------Texas, District 12

Table 36---------Texas Summary

Table 37---------Virginia