Current Situation: Cotton and peanut growers are finishing up planting this past week. Cotton jassid was found last week in Tifton. Corn crop ranges from VT to dough. Cotton crop ranges from just planted to squaring.
https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-xgfe2-1ad7d28
All About The Pod, Season 13, Season 4 — Rainy Conditions, Planting, and Pest Updates
Below is a link to the latest Talkin Cotton Podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2350262/episodes/19328578
Cotton
Last week, Dr. Roberts informed county agents that low numbers of adult cotton jassids were detected on okra at the Tifton Experiment Station on June 10, 2026.
As a reminder, only the adult stage can be reliably identified; immature (nymph) stages cannot be conclusively identified. Adults can be identified by the presence of two prominent black spots on the wings (see photo by Justin Odom below).
Some of the earlier planted cotton starts to square in Colquitt County, Dr. Roberts has a few points to consider when managing plant bugs. Tarnished plant bugs and clouded plant bugs have become a more consistent pest of cotton in parts of Georgia. A few bullet points below to consider when planning your plant bug management program:
• Early planted cotton appears to be at greater risk for plant bugs during squaring.
• Later planted cotton appears to be at greater risk for late season plant bugs.
• Primary damage during squaring is feeding on small squares; these small, damaged squares will be shed by the plant.
• The best sampling tool for adult plant bugs migrating into squaring cotton is a sweep net.
• Square retention should be monitored from the onset of squaring until early bloom; our goal is to maintain at least 80 percent of fruit as we enter bloom.
Plant bugs may feed on larger squares; this often occurs when we have plant bugs reproducing in the field. Large squares will often remain on the plant and result in dirty blooms.
• If you see dirty blooms, the field should be scouted for immature plant bugs. The best sampling tool for immature plant bugs is a drop cloth.
• Plant bugs may also feed on small bolls resulting in internal boll damage.
• Clouded plant bugs should be counted 1.5 times (i.e. 2 clouded should be counted as 3 tarnished) and added to your plant bug count.
• Scout and use thresholds.
• Consider aphid infestations when making plant bug sprays.
• On farms where plant bugs are consistent and problematic, consider using ThryvOn or Diamond.
• Optimal timing for Diamond insecticide, which is an insect growth regulator and is only active on immature plant bugs, is just prior to plant bugs hatching. This often occurs near first bloom.
• Consider adding Diamond if you are making a second plant bug spray for migrating adults. Diamond needs to be added to a “knock down” insecticide which has activity on adults.
• ThryvOn cotton needs to be scouted and treated if thresholds are exceeded.
Peanuts
I have started to notice and receive calls about lesser cornstalk borer (LCB) in local dryland peanut fields. Favorable conditions for LCB include hot, dry weather, well-drained sandy soils, and an open crop canopy. We have been monitoring LCB traps in Colquitt County this past week. According to Dr. Abney, that catching moths indicates that there are LCB moths near your farm. It does not mean you should spray. The traps tell us the moths are present, but UGA research has not found a good correlation between trap capture and larval infestation in peanut. The traps are a good reminder to scout.
Scouting Tips:
Look for wilted plants and silk tubes. Remove affected plants and check the taproot, stems, and pods for feeding injury and larvae. The presence of moths is also a good indicator of LCB activity. Infestations often begin in “skips” or at the ends of rows where bare soil is present.
To properly scout for LCB:
- Measure a 3-foot section of row and inspect all plants within that section.
- Repeat this process in 10 locations across the field.
- If LCB, feeding injury, or silk tubes are found in 3 out of 10 locations (30%), treatment is recommended.
If fields reach threshold, control options include chlorantraniliprole or novaluron, according to the UGA Pest Management Handbook.
Rain is forecast this week. Rain does not eliminate lesser cornstalk borers. While rainfall may wash away silk tubes and temporarily make scouting more difficult, the insects remain active in the field.
Beet Armyworm and Tobacco Budworm in Peanuts
I received a few calls last week concerning beet armyworm (BAW) and tobacco budworm (TBW) in peanuts. In all cases, populations were below treatment threshold, and no insecticide applications were warranted.
The treatment threshold for combined foliage-feeding caterpillars is 4–8 larvae per foot of row, depending on plant size and overall condition. A lower threshold should be used for very young plants or plants under stress from factors such as drought, disease, or poor growth. Conversely, a higher threshold can be used when plants are healthy and have adequate vine growth to tolerate feeding.
Pegging Zone Sampling in Runner Peanut
Peanuts have a high calcium requirement. Calcium must be available to the developing peg and pod in a water soluble form in the pegging zone area. If you need to apply calcium (in the form of gypsum, landplaster) it needs to be applied at early flowering. Pull the sample slightly offset of the peanut row about 3 inches deep. Pegging zone samples need to show 500 pounds of soil test calcium. If you are at the 500 mark or better and you have a 3 to 1 calcium to potassium ratio then calcium requirements should be met. If you do not meet EITHER of these requirements then you need to apply 1000 lb/a gypsum at early bloom. Also, all peanuts grown for seed should automatically receive this gypsum application, regardless of soil test calcium levels. Soil sample bags are available at the Extension Office if you would like to do pegging zone tests.
Corn: As the local corn crop ranges from VT to late dough, no southern rust has been found in Georgia (June 14, 2026). The southern rust tracking map from the Crop Protection Network is below.
Summer annual forages: Forage producers need to be carefull about grazing pearl millet.
Pearl millet produces several tillers (new shoots) at the base of the plant (left). After pearl milletis cut or grazed, new tillers emerge from basal buds at the base of the plant (right). As a result of this anatomical trait, pearl millet can be grazed to within 4 – 6 inches and still recover relatively quickly (e.g., 12-18 days of rest before grazing again or 22-35 days for being cut for hay or baleage again.)
Have a great week,
Jeremy M. Kichler
Colquitt County Extension Coordinator
The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension does not endorse or guarantee the performance any products mentioned in this update.