A fair share of our cotton is emerging, recently planted, or will be planted in the next week. It’s a good time for a few reminders about thrips control.

1. Resistance of tobacco thrips to thiamethoxam (e.g., Cruiser) is widespread, and UT no longer recommends it’s use.
2. Thus, virtually all cotton seed sold in the Mid-South is treated with imidacloprid (e.g., Gaucho, Aeris, Acceleron FI). Phytogen seed can be ordered with an ‘IDA’ seed treatment which also includes imidacloprid.
3. There are indications that resistance of tobacco thrips to imidacloprid might also be increasing. For this reason, adding additional management components to an imidacloprid seed treatment should be considered.
4. Thiodicarb (a component of Aeris), avermectin (a component of the Phytogen IDA seed treatment), or an acephate treatment on the seed will typically improve thrips control above seed only treated with imidacloprid.
5. Consider making a foliar insecticide application at the first-leaf stage (or at least by the second leaf). I’m pushing this more than in the past with concerns about increasing resistance. I would especially recommend this if imidacloprid is the only thing on the seed to control thrips.
6. Standard foliar insecticide options include acephate/Orthene (3.2-4.0 oz/acre), Bidrin (2.5-3.0 oz/acre), Dimethoate 4E (6 oz/acre), or Radiant (1.5 – 2.0 oz/acre). DO NOT use synthetic pyrethroids.

There are some other at-planting options such as in-furrow applications of imidacloprid (e.g., Admire Pro) or acephate at 1 lb ai/acre. We are testing a replacement for Temik (called AgLogic 15G) which is not labeled yet in Tennessee but may be an option in 2017.