Cotton and Pest Response to Nematicide-Insecticide Combinations Applied at-Planting Across Different Soil Textures in a Spatially Variable Field

Use of seed treatments and at-planting applications of insecticides/nematicides for early season crop protection from thrips or from plant parasitic nematodes may provide benefits to earliness and yield potential; however, there may be variation in plant response to these inputs depend on plant carrying capacity associated spatial variation in soil texture in fields with heterogeneous soils. This 2016 strip trial was installed in in a commercial field in NE Arkansas to evaluate plant response in field with variable soils. Cultivar ST 4848 GLT was planted on 10 May at a seeding rate of 42000 seed/ac (3 seeds/ft or row).  All treatments had a base fungicide and the nematicides consisted of 1) Aeris, 2) Aeris + COPeO, 3) Aeris + Velum Total (14 oz/A), and 4) Aeris + AgLogic (5 lb/A).  The experiment was arranged in a randomized strip plot design with 3 replications. Each treatment was planted in 12 consecutive rows using a 4-row research planter equipped to apply in-furrow treatments. Soil samples for nematode assessments were made at planting and again at 60 days after planting (first flowers). Plant, insect pest, nematode and soil monitoring activities were extensive through the season. These included soil collections at planting and at first flowers, plant root gall assessments at first flowers, early season whole plant washes for thrips assessments which also included leaf area determinations, weekly plant bug sampling and COTMAN plant monitoring. Sample points for the strip trial were based on soil EC classes of loamy sand and coarse sand categoized using a soil EC map generated using a Veris Soil Surveyor. Results to be presented will include summaries of in-season measures, hand-picked and yield monitor yields and fiber quality assessments.