COTTON INSECT LOSSES 2002

This report is sponsored by a grant from the Cotton Foundation.
Michael R. Williams, Chairman
Extension Entomologist
Mississippi State University Extension Service
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS 39762

State Coordinators

Alabama --- Dr. Ronald H. Smith

Missouri --- Dr. Michael Boyd

Arkansas --- Dr. Gus Lorenz

New Mexico --- Dr. Jane Pierce

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. Phillip Roberts

Tennessee --- Dr. Scott Stewart

Kansas --- Dr. Stuart Duncan

Texas --- Dr. James Leser

Louisiana --- Dr. Ralph Bagwell

Virginia --- Dr. Ames Herbert

Mississippi --- Dr. Blake Layton

  

 

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. For example, if a unit report represents 100 acres had an 8% loss on 25 of those acres, then in the table summary this shows up as a 2% loss. ((.08 ×25)/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. Costs are averaged to the nearest cent, bales and acres to the nearest whole number, other numbers are rounded to the nearest .001. Bales are calculated at 480 pounds, and a cost of $0.65 per pound of lint is used in figuring costs.

Highlights

Arthropod pests reduced overall yield by 4.61% in 2002. There were 14.38 million acres of cotton planted in 2002, but only 12.86 million acres harvested. Alabama at 16.1% reported the greatest percentage loss to insects in 2002. The bollworm/budworm complex was the top pest of 2002 taking 2.31% of the 2002 crop. Almost 80% of the US crop was infested with the complex of which 83% were bollworms. No other pest exceeded 1% reduction. Fifty-three percent (53%) of US cotton acres was infested by Lygus which reduced yields by 0.72%. Thrips and stink bugs were almost tied for third at 0.447% (Thrips) and 0.446% (stink bugs) reduction. Thrips infest 96% of US cotton acres and stink bugs infest 42%. Boll weevil at 0.175% were 5th infesting 2.21 million acres. Aphids (0.118%) were 6th in the pest loss rankings. Cotton fleahoppers (0.109%), silverleaf whitefly (0.087%), fall armyworm (0.045%) and beet armyworm (0.039%) complete the the top ten insect pests of 2002. Total cost of management and loss to insects to the 2002crop was $1.14 billion or $86.11 per acre. Of those costs approximately $60 are direct insect management costs.

KEY TO TABLES

Table 1 -- USDA /NASS yield estimates

Table 15a -- Louisiana: Bt Varieties

Table 1a -- USDA/NASS planted and harvested acres

Table 15b -- Louisiana: nonBt Varieties

Table 2 -- At planting insecticide applications

Table 16 -- Mississippi Summary

Table 3 -- Cotton insect eradication costs

Table 16a -- Mississippi Delta

Table 4 -- Bt cotton costs by state

Table 16b -- Mississippi Hills

Table 5 -- Application type and costs

Table 17 -- Missouri

Table 6 -- Cotton insect monitoring costs

Table 18 -- New Mexico

Table 7 -- Summary of All States

Table 19 -- North Carolina Summary

Table 8 -- Alabama Summary

Table 19a -- North Carolina Bt Varieties

Table 8a -- North Alabama

Table 19b -- North Carolina nonBt Varieties

Table 8b -- Central Alabama

Table 20 -- Oklahoma

Table 8c -- South Alabama

Table 21 -- South Carolina Summary

Table 9 -- Arizona

Table 21a -- South Carolina Bt Varieties

Table 9a -- Arizona Bt Varieties

Table 21b -- South Carolina nonBt Varieties

Table 9b -- Arizona nonBt Varieties

Table 22 -- Tennessee Summary

Table 10 -- Arkansas Summary

Table 22a -- Tennessee Bt Varieties

Table 10a -- Northeast Arkansas

Table 22b -- Tennessee nonBt Varieties

Table 10b -- Southeast Arkansas

Table 23 -- Texas Summary

Table 11 -- California

Table 23a -- Texas, Upper Coastal Bend

Table 12 -- Florida

Table 23b -- Texas, Lower Coastal Bend

Table 13 -- Georgia Summary

Table 23c -- Texas, Northern Rolling Plains

Table 13a -- Georgia Bt Varieties

Table 23d -- Texas, High Plains

Table 13b -- Georgia nonBt Varieties

Table 23e -- Texas, Far West

Table 14 -- Kansas Summary

Table 23f -- Texas, Lower Rio Grande Valley

Table 14a -- Kansas Southwest

Table 23g -- Texas, Southern Rolling Plains

Table 14b -- Kansas South Central

Table 23h -- Texas, Northern Blacklands

Table 15 -- Louisiana Summary

Table 23i -- Texas, Southern Blacklands
 

Table 24 -- Virginia

Explanation of Tables

The Cotton Insect Losses estimates are a simple attempt to arrive at the average cost of control of cotton arthropod pests. We attempt to arrive at the most accurate estimate possible for spray activities, but have also added some of the other costs which are incurred in cotton insect pest management. These `additional’ costs increase the bottom line of expenditures for arthropod pest management - but also more accurately reflect true expenditures. We include `at planting insecticide costs,’(an estimate of the cost of systemic insecticides applied at planting for control of thrips and other pests of seedling cotton); `Bt cotton costs,’(an estimate of the technology fee); `eradication costs’(which include the maintenance fee in those states which have eradicated the weevil and other eradication projects); and `scouting costs;’ in addition to the traditional `foliar insecticide costs.’ Bales lost are also given a dollar value using 480 pound bales at $0.65 per pound. Remember, these are estimates and may not totally reflect an individual farm or area, but they do reflect trends and serve as a general comparison.