Managing Early-Season Insect Pests of Dryland Cotton

The Texas High Plains is a semi-arid region where rainfall is low and unpredictable. As a result, the cropping system in the region is largely low-input and the producer decision-making in economically profitable input use is a challenge. Sustainable cotton production has been a challenge due to low cotton market price, increased input costs, reduced water availability, and high insect pest pressure. The overall objective of this study was to quantify the impact of single versus multiple insect-pest infestations on cotton lint yield and fiber quality under two irrigation water regimes. Results from these experiments will be discussed.