The objectives of this research were to evaluate management options for tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds), and reniform nematode, Rotylenchulus reniformis (Linford & Oliverira), in cotton productions systems. When evaluating tillage practices for pest control, conservational tillage reduced thrips densities and damage, while the impact on nematode densities is less understood and in this study had no impact. Insecticide seed treatments remain a vital resource for controlling thrips in Mid-South cotton production systems. When incorporating an early season herbicide application for weed control, systems with an insecticide seed treatment generally tolerated herbicide injury better than those with early season stress from thrips and nematodes. When using foliar applications as an alternative option for thrips management, early season automatic applications at the cotyledon stage followed by one or two sequential applications provided similar efficacy to the insecticide seed treatment. For reniform nematode management, 1, 3-dichloropropene reduced densities lower than that of the untreated control or aldicarb; however, depending on environmental conditions this practice may not result in yield increases great enough to warrant the cost of application. These data highlight the importance of effective control of thrips whether it be via at-planting or foliar applications. 1, 3-dichloropropene reduced nematode densities and is an effective option in nematode management; however, nematodes are a stress pathogen and the ability to minimize other seasonal stresses ,such as water stress, will determine if a nematicide application may be needed. While environmental conditions may be optimal to allow for plant recoverability, effective early season pest management decreases the potential for delayed crop maturity which could lead to increased input cost or reduced yield later in the season.

Reniform nematode (Rotylenchulus reniformis Linford and Oliveira) currently infests about 36% of the Mississippi G. hirsutum acres causing economic losses of $130 million annually. For more than 40 years nematodes, including R. reniformis, have been managed using an at-planting treatment of Temik 15G or with soil fumigants like Telone II. With the label loss of Temik 15G and expense of soil fumigants, there is a need to develop an integrated nematode management program centered around nematicide seed treatments (NST) with and without foliar applications of Vydate C-LV. In addition there is a need to better understand how new cotton cultivars provide improved growth, development and yield in nematode infested fields. Results from research at Auburn and Mississippi State Universities revealed tested varieties responded positively to NST and improved growth and yield without NST was variety specific especially early in G. hirsutum development (between nodes 1-9). Cutivars Phy 499, FM 1740 and Stv 5458 showed the greatest nematode tolerance while Phy 375 WRF had the least tolerance, benefitting greatly from NST. Trials involving NST with and without Vydate C-LV indicated yield of plants treated with Temik 15G was greater than plants treated with NST treatments. Aeris + Votivo with and without Vydate C-LV provided better plant growth and yield than Aeris alone or with Vydate C-LV. Relative to yield Vydate C-LV treatments increased pounds of lint cotton/acre across all treatments. There were no differences in fruit retention at fruiting site one during the square period with fruit loss primarily occurring between bloom and open boll. Vydate C-LV treatments increased overall fruit retention compared to all nematicide seed treatments making them comparable to Temik 15G.

One of the objectives of this research was to evaluate the need for an additional imidacloprid seed treatment on ThryvOn® (Bayer Crop Science®, St. Louis, MO) cotton to effectively manage tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds). While evaluating thrips densities and damage ratings, ThryvOn cotton continued to display reduced damage and thrips populations than non-ThryvOn. Thrips populations and damage ratings were consistently reduced when incorporating a higher rate of imidacloprid, but they were not reduced enough to justify the higher rates of imidacloprid. Another objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of aldicarb (AgLogic Chemical®, LLC; Chapel Hill, NC) and ThryvOn on reniform nematode, Rotylenchulus reniformis (Linford & Oliveira). The impact of aldicarb and ThryvOn technology had no impact on reniform nematode densities in Mississippi cotton throughout this study. The reduced thrips populations and damage ratings provided by ThryvOn cotton has the potential to improve integrated pest management in the southern U.S.