Evaluation of insecticide application intervals to optimize tarnished plant bug control

Authors: GORE, JEFF - Mississippi State University; CATCHOT, ANGUS - Mississippi State University; COOK, DON - Mississippi State University; MUSSER, FRED - Mississippi State University; STEWARD, SCOTT - University Of Tennessee; BROWN, SEBE - Louisiana State University; LORENZ, GUS - University Of Arkansas; STUDEBAKER, GLEN - University Of Arkansas; BATEMAN, NICK - University Of Arkansas; THRASH, BEN - University Of Arkansas; Parys, Katherine; Little, Nathan

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/20/2019
Publication Date: 3/1/2019
Citation: Gore, J., Catchot, A., Cook, D., Musser, F., Steward, S., Brown, S., Lorenz, G., Studebaker, G., Bateman, N., Thrash, B., Parys, K.A., Little, N. 2019. Evaluation of insecticide application intervals to optimize tarnished plant bug control. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference. 682-686.

Interpretive Summary: Tarnished plant bugs are a key pest of cotton across the southern United States. Infestations of tarnished plant bugs can cause yield loss if populations are not controlled, and insecticide resistance makes controlling them difficult. During 2017 and 2018, cotton fields at multiple locations were sprayed to examine the impact of the intercal between sprays on populations of tarnished plant bug populations. Two applications were always better than one application, and increased yield in those plots.

Technical Abstract: The tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), is the most important insect pest of cotton in the Mid-South region of the U.S. It can cause severe yield loses if left uncontrolled for long periods of time and insecticide resistance makes management difficult. An experiment was conducted at multiple locations across the Mid-South in 2017 and 2018 to evaluate the impact of application interval on tarnished plant bug management. Regardless of application interval, two applications provided better control of tarnished plant bug than one application. Control was better when the second application was made at 4 days after the first application compared to 7 and 10 days. When the second application was made at 7 days, control was better than when the second application was made at 10 days. All insecticide treatments resulted in cotton yields greater than that in the untreated control. Also, when two applications were made at 4-7 day intervals, cotton yields were significantly greater than when only one application was made. These data will be important for improving our IPM recommendations for tarnished plant bug in cotton.