Performance of Selected In-Furrow and Foliar Insecticdes for Managing Seedling Thrips

Thrips are a predictable pest of seedling cotton in the southeastern US.  The recent loss of aldicarb from the marketplace created demand for commercial products that provide inexpensive and lasting thrips suppression.  In separate replicated experiments, we compared weekly thrips counts, visual ratings, plant biomass after 42 days, and end of year lint yield as a function of labeled or unlabeled in-furrow insecticides or foliar applied insecticides.  In the in-furrow trial, similar results were obtained among Orthene applied directly to the seed, Counter, Temik, and moderate to high label rates of Thimet.  Results also showed that a new and unlabeled foliar applied compound, cyazypyr, demonstrated numerically superior but statistically similar suppression to materials such as Radiant, Lannate, Orthene, and Vydate.  Pyrethroids did not provide good suppression.  Several compounds that are not currently labeled on cotton showed potential and will be pursued with the registrants.