Evaluating the Effect of in-Furrow Applied Aldicarb for the Prevention of Deer Browsing on Seedling Cotton in Georgia.

In East Georgia, browsing from deer on seedling cotton is a major problem. Yield losses from intense repeated foraging have been documented to be in excess of 50%. If browsing damage happens early in crop development, stand losses can be severe enough to trigger replanting of the crop. Anecdotal evidence from region seed salesmen showed that the majority of cotton replanted in 2018 in East Georgia was due to stand losses from deer browsing.

Although not marketed for this use, many cotton growers in the region began using the in-furrow insecticide aldicarb strictly for the prevention of deer browsing. This trial evaluated the effect of the aldicarb in heavy pressure fields in Burke County and Jenkins County, Georgia in 2017 and 2019. Large plot field trials were planted with treatments including aldicarb applied and no aldicarb applied. Treatments were evaluated weekly by counting the total number of plants in each plot and total number of plants that had been damaged due to deer browsing to determine the percentage of plants browsed and the total stand loss in each treatment.

Data were analyzed and showed no difference in deer browsing or stand losses between aldicarb treated and untreated plots.