Cotton: There are some plant bugs in April cotton. Plant bugs are a nuisance because they primarily feed on small squares. Plant bugs should be monitored from squaring until mid-bloom. We are shooting for an 80% first position retention. Those are the money bolls. We don’t recommend blanket sprays for plant bugs because the products we have will all take out the beneficial insects. We need those beneficial insects to help fight other pest like corn earworms, spider mites, and whiteflies. Scout and monitor square retention are your best bets. I have heard rumors floated about a possible nitrogen shortage. I’ve talked with Dr. Harris about it, and there is nothing to it; highly doubtful we run out of nitrogen.

Peanuts: I looked at some of Dr. Prostko’s herbicide trials yesterday, and we have some promising stuff that should get here in 2023 and 2024. Not much else in the peanut world. Peanuts are looking good. Keep looking for lessers, and remember to throw some white mold material in with your first leafspot spray.

Pesticides: If you attended the weed management update this past February, Dr. Culpepper informed us that the EPA is looking into every registered product with an emphasis on the endangered species act. This comes to approximately 1100 active ingredients. Currently, Diuron and Cotoran are being investigated. There is a public comment time from now until the middle of July where calls can be made and letters can be sent to the EPA before deciding whether to pull these products. I will be sending a letter in support of the use of these products as they are extremely beneficial for their residual control of pigweed and morning glories in our cotton systems. If you would like to make a phone call, write a letter or piggyback off of mine, I would be happy to help.

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