Cotton Insect Losses for 1995

Michael R. Williams, Extension Entomologist, Chairman

Cooperative Extension Service

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS 39762

State Coordinators

Alabama-----Dr. Ronald H. Smith Missouri-----Dr. Clyde Sorensen

Arkansas-----Dr. Don Johnson New Mexico-----Dr. Charles R. Ward

Arizona-----Dr. Peter Ellsworth North Carolina-----Dr. Jack Bacheler

California-----Dr. Peter Goodell Oklahoma-----Dr. Miles Karner

Florida-----Dr. R.K. Sprenkel South Carolina-----Dr. Mitchell Roof

Georgia-----Dr. William R. Lambert, III Tennessee-----Dr. Phillip Roberts

Louisiana-----Dr. Ralph Bagwell Texas-----Dr. James Leser

Mississippi-----Dr. Blake Layton Virginia-----Dr. Ames Herbert

Background

This information was provided by state coordinators and was collicted 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 an 8% loss on 25 of these acres, then in the table summary this shows up as a 2% loss. ((.08x25)/100). This type of averaging is used for all data reported including yields and costs of control. Because of averaging and rounding some individual state summary numbers listed as '0' are slightly larger. For example, if the number of insecticide applications fall below 0.1 for a state's total acreage, it is not listed.

Highlights

Arhtropod pests reduced overall yield by 11.08% in spite of control measures which cost an average of $ 57.93 per acre; The boll/bud worm complex was still the number one pest in the U.S. with a yield reduction of 3.97%. Eighty-two percent (82%) of the U.S. cotton acreage was infested with boll/bud worm in 1995, requiring 2.4 applications of insecticide per acre. Beet armyworms are second in 1995, reducing yields by 1.68%. 44% of U.S. acreage was infested by beet armyworms. Boll Weevils were a close third at 1.66% reduction in 1995. These pests infested about 62% of the country's cotton crop and required about 2.0 applications of insecticide per acre: Aphids were the 4^th most severe pest at 1.09% and Lygus, a severe pest in the far west in 1995, dropped to fifth place at 1.02% reduction. Spider mites, whiteflies, and thrips were also costly pests in 1995. Total cost of management and loss to insects to the 1995 crop exceeded $1.6 8 billion.

Key to Tables

Table 1-----USDA Yield Estimates

Table 2-----Boll Weevil Eradication Costs

Table 3-----At Planting Insecticide Applications

Table 4-----Summary of All States

Table 5-----South Alabama

Table 6-----Central Alabama

Table 7-----North Alabama

Table 8-----Alabama Summary

Table 9-----Northeast Arkansas

Table 10----Southeast Arkansas

Table 11----Arkansas Summary

Table 12----Arizona

Table 13----San Joaquin Valley California

Table 14----Imperial Valley California

Table 15----California Summary

Table 16----Florida

Table 17----Georgia

Table 18----Louisiana

Table 19----Mississippi Delta

Table 20----Mississippi Hills

Table 21----Mississippi Summary

Table 22----Missouri

Table 23----New Mexico

Table 24----North Carolina

Table 25----Oklahoma

Table 26----South Carolina

Table 27----Tennessee

Table 28----Texas, Southern Rolling Plains

Table 29----Texas, Northern Rolling Plains

Table 30----Texas, High Plains

Table 31----Texas, Coastal Bend

Table 32----Texas, Lower Rio Grande Valley

Table 33----Texas, Northern Blackland

Table 34----Texas, South Central

Table 35----Texas, Far West

Table 36----Texas Summary

Table 37----Virginia