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Cotton
Year-Round IPM Program for San Joaquin Valley
(Reviewed
2/05, updated 2/05)
These practices are recommended for a monitoring-based IPM program
that reduces water quality problems related to pesticide use.
Links take you to information on how to monitor, forms to use,
and management practices. Track your progress through the year
with the annual checklist form. This program covers
the major pests of cotton; information on additional pests
is included in the Cotton
Pest Management Guideline.
Each time a pesticide application is considered, review
the Pesticide
Application Checklist at the bottom of this page for information
on how to minimize water quality problems.
Note: Growers using reduced tillage will have to modify some
of the practices in this year-round IPM program.
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Preplant to planting period activities |
| What should you be doing at this time? |
| Select your field, considering pest history and surrounding
crops. |
| Consider rotation crops if field had severe problems
last year with root knot nematode, Verticillium wilt or seedling diseases. |
| Consider precision tillage and ripping if root knot
nematodes are a problem. |
| Consider a trap-crop interplant of alfalfa, cowpea, or lima bean for lygus management. |
| Survey and manage weeds:
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Select a variety, considering:
- Local conditions and climate.
- Field history of Verticillium wilt and root knot nematode.
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| Consider a seed treatment for pests based on field history and according to the PMGs:
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| Start planning for when to plant around March 5th by checking the
5-day degree-day forecast and taking soil temperature. |
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Crop emergence to seedling growth period activities |
| What should you be doing at this time? |
| Begin tracking degree-day accumulations for plant growth as soon as crop emerges. |
| Assess stand establishment and identify pests if stand
is weak. |
Monitor for spider mites, aphids, and thrips:
- Locate trouble spots in fields and pay close attention to these areas during early square monitoring.
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| Maintain a weed management program:
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| Monitor nearby crops, fence rows, and weedy areas for:
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Early squaring period activities |
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Bloom to boll development period activities |
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First open boll to preharvest period activities |
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Harvest to postharvest period activities |
| What should you be doing at this time? |
- Maintain maximum time between harvest and planting whitefly host crops.
- Promptly destroy stalks to prevent regrowth and limit additional whitefly
buildup.
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| Observe local plowdown deadlines and a 90-day host-free
period to prevent establishment of pink bollworm. |
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Sample plant roots and rate nematode infestation:
- Complete a rating
form.
- Treat** if needed according to PMG.
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**Pesticide application checklist |
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Before a pesticide application is made and when planning for possible applications in an IPM program,
review and complete this checklist to minimize water quality and other problems.
- Follow each practice in the year-round IPM Program.
- Identify target pest, treatment threshold, trigger, or justification for treatment.
- Consider nonchemical alternatives.
- Identify important natural enemies that might be impacted by pesticide application.
- Choose a pesticide from the UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines for the target pest, considering
impact on natural enemies and consulting UC
IPM Watertox Database for water quality concerns. Select an alternative chemical or nonchemical
treatment when risk is high.
- Consider chemical class if pesticide resistance is an issue.
- Identify sensitive areas (for example, waterways or riparian areas) surrounding your application
site.
- Identify practices or mitigation measures to be used to reduce pesticide movement off-site.
- Choose sprayers and application methods that minimize off-site movement.
- Review and follow pesticide handling, storage, and disposal guidelines.
- After an application is made, record application date,
product used, rate, and location of application. Follow
up to confirm the treatment was effective.
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