Wind Damage

Howdy,

  We have experienced entirely too much wind lately, and I've seen varied degrees of stressed cotton in all three of my counties. The wind damage along with the cooler temperatures have been rough on a lot of seedling cotton. If your plants have a live green growth point and the stem isn't crispy, it's likely the plant will recover. Research shows that fields can still be considered viable with stand counts as low as 13,000 to 26,000 plants per acre, as long as they are evenly spaced.

Wind Damaged Cotton
Photo: Kate Harrell

Wind Damaged Cotton
Photo: Kate Harrell

Wind Damaged Cotton Seedling with New Growth
Photo: Kate Harrell

Wind Killed Cotton Seedling
Photo: Kate Harrell

Wind Damaged Cotton Seedling
Photo: Kate Harrell

Wind Damaged Cotton Seedling with Viable Growth Point
Photo: Kate Harrell

Wind Damaged Cotton, Dead Seedling on Left, Two Viable Seedlings on Right
Photo: Kate Harrell

  Thrips are also a concern currently. Seed treatments have worn off after 3 weeks, even if the plants have been in the ground but haven't been up for that long. Thrips can add stress to our already stressed cotton. Our economic threshold for thrips is an average of at least one per true leaf, until the 5th true leaf stage.

  I have been picking up sugarcane aphids on Johnson grass on the edges of fields. A&M is participating in a nation wide mapping project for the sugarcane aphid movement, and I check very few sorghum locations. If you see sugarcane aphids moving into sorghum, I would greatly appreciate it if you would contact me. Your input will help a great deal with this mapping project.

  Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. I hope everyone has a great weekend and our weather gets a little more cooperative.

For more information check out:

Cotton Growth and Development overview

Cotton Growth and Development

Plant Population Evaluation

Replant Decision Making