Source: NCSU COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, 7/7/20


It has been a tough year for cotton across the state. As we move toward squaring and bloom stages, it is essential to plan plant bug scouting strategies depending on crop development. Over the past week, we have been scouting plant bug populations across the state (map).

Notes from the field: In a normal growing season, cotton development is much more consistent within and among fields. In 2020, we are seeing considerable development variation in cotton at the field and farm level. Over the past week, we have been surveying plant bug infestation across the state to better understand where these pests are at economically damaging levels.

One remarkable issue is the variation in square development. Unfortunately, irregular cotton development within fields and across farms really impacts standardized scouting and management recommendations. As a result, we need to be thinking about field-level management decisions for key early to mid-season pests.

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