This year, with the advent of Bt-cotton and reduced sprays on conventional cotton, CPB are being seen in some fields, especially in the northern part of the state. The treatment threshold is 5 bugs per 100 plants or 1 bug per 6 feet of row on a ground cloth. CPB is relatively easy to control, and any recommended plant bug material or boll weevil material will probably be effective, should treatment be required. However, crops that are well into cutout should no longer be susceptible to damage. The graphs below show results for two trials against each pest in which both of these products were included.
Whiteflies are still heavy in some areas and in certain varieties.
I would not be willing to wait much longer in the more heavily infested fields as a significant amount of honey dew and sooty mold is occurring on plant surfaces. Two applications of Orthene or Monitor, at 5-day intervals, may be required. There seems to be plenty of budworms in the mix, and control may be difficult. Two applications will likely be necessary to control the mixed population. Fall armyworms, beet armyworms, loopers and various sundries are around but in low enough numbers that they are of no real concern in most fields.