Reduction of Thrips Populations with Tillage and Winter Cover Crops

Thrips populations on newly emerged cotton grown in Georgia were compared among tillage (conventinoal vs. strip) and winter cover crop (wheat, rye, and crimson clover).  All cottonseed received a commercial seed treatment, but was planted under heavy thrips presure.  Results show that regardless of cover crop, strip tillage decreased all species of thrips and number of immatures by a factor of three.  In the conventional tilled plots the thrips populations exceeded Extension based thresholds for foliar applications starting during the 3rd and 4th wk after planting.  The threshold for foliar application was never reached in the strip tilled plots.  In a separate experiment, similar results were obtained comparing thrips populations from cotton planted into fall killed and spring killed bahia grass cover crops.