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Title: EARLY-SEASON DISPERSAL OF COTTON FLEAHOPPERS (PSEUDATOMOSCELIS SERIATUS)

Author
item Westbrook, John
item Esquivel, Jesus
item Eyster, Ritchie

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/5/2005
Publication Date: 6/28/2005
Citation: Westbrook, J.K., Esquivel, J.F., Eyster, R.S. 2005. Early-season dispersal of cotton fleahoppers (Pseudatomoscelis seriatus). In: Proceedings of the Beltwide Cotton Conferences, January 4-7, 2005, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2005 CDROM.

Interpretive Summary: The cotton fleahopper is an early-season pest of cotton which occasionally achieves major pest status. Abrupt, unpredictable fleahopper infestations complicate cotton pest management. A field study was conducted in the Brazos Valley, Texas, to determine patterns of fleahopper dispersal from fields with substantial growth of turnipweed and other known or suspected wild hosts. Fleahopper dispersal was monitored using sticky traps placed around the perimeter of three plots with significant growth of turnipweed. Despite low captures, traps captured significantly more fleahoppers on the southern (predominant upwind) side of plots. Differences between captures on the outside and inside of traps were significant only at one site, which indicated that more fleahoppers had flown to rather than from the site. The findings will lead to more effective prediction and more timely management of fleahoppers in cotton.

Technical Abstract: The cotton fleahopper, Pseudatomoscelis seriatus, is an early-season pest of cotton which occasionally achieves major pest status. Abrupt, unpredictable fleahopper infestations complicate cotton pest management. A field study was conducted in the Brazos Valley, Texas, to determine patterns of fleahopper dispersal from fields with substantial growth of turnipweed and other known or suspected wild hosts. Fleahopper dispersal was monitored using sticky traps placed around the perimeter of three plots with significant growth of turnipweed. Despite low captures, traps captured significantly more fleahoppers on the southern side of plots. Differences between captures on the outside and inside of traps were significant only at one site, which indicated immigration to, rather than emigration from, the site. The findings will lead to more effective prediction and more timely management of fleahoppers in cotton.