Making Dollars and Cents out of Applying Miticides

 Want to keep a few thousand dollars in your pocket? Here’s my money saving tip of the week: Hold off spraying miticides in your cotton fields.

Every year, I see a number of growers trying to get “free ride” by adding miticides to their weed control applications. They figure “why not control weeds and spider mites at one time.” By my estimation, you spend $5,000 to $7,000 for a miticide to cover a 150-acre block of cotton. Save the money.

 

In the past three years, I haven’t seen any significant spider mite outbreaks. Biological controls – meaning natural predators such as six-spotted thrips and big-eyed bugs – can take care of any small threats by mites.

Newly planted habitat of corn, mustard and sunflowers.

Spraying to control weeds takes place during the development of the first node and sixth node on a cotton plant. The most common weeds are crab grass, nut sage and morning glory. To save on labor costs, growers will add a miticide to their weed control spray – thus getting that free ride or a “two-fer” you might say.

Spider mites feed on the leaf surface of a cotton plant, causing the leaves to fall and ultimately affecting yield. There are alternatives to control mites without spending thousands on a miticide application.

Around the borders of the fields, you can water the roads to keep dust down and lessen the disturbance of over wintering mites, which emerge from the soil. We’ve encouraged growers to plant a natural habitat to attract more beneficial insects. I’ve included a list detailing the plants and the corresponding beneficial insects they attract below.                                                                                                    

                                                                   

My message is simple: Why spray if you don’t need to. It makes a lot of dollars and cents.

Extra notes:

Final call to almond growers: Don’t forget our San Joaquin Sustainable Farming Project’s field day Friday from 10 a.m. to noon at Del Bosque Farms on the west side of Firebaugh. The “Almond Doctor,” also known as UCCE Merced farm advisor David Doll, and UC IPM bug expert Walt Bentley will talk about “Almond Practices for Late Spring and Summer.”  Check our SCP website for directions and additional details. See you there.

Planting the Seeds for Biological Pest Management

Plants	Prey	Beneficial Insects
Dill	Aphid, spider mite and many other insects	Aphid midge, aphid parasites, braconid wasp, lacewing, tachinid fly, chalchid wasps, ladybird beetles, mealybug destroyer, spiders, spider mite destroyer, syrphid fly, whitefly, parasitic wasp (Encarsia Formosa)
Mustard	Aphid, armyworm, cabbageworm, codling moth, gypsy moth, European corn, borer, beetle larvae, flies, aphid, caterpillars and other insects	Braconid wasp, aphid midge, aphid parasistes (Aphidius Matricariae and others).
Sweet clover	Aphid	Aphid midge.
White clover	Aphid (see mustard)	Aphid parasites, braconid wasp and chalcid wasps
Yarrow	Aphid, thrips, leafhopper, treehopper, small caterpillars, fall armyworms, sawfly, Colorado potato beetle and Mexican bean beetle.	Spined soldier bug, mealybug destroyer, ladybug, chalcid wasps, damsel bug, braconid wasp and aphid parasites.
Sunflower	Soft-bodied insects, including aphid, thrips, mealybug, scale, caterpillars and mites.	Braconid wasp, damsel bug, lacewing (Chrysopa spp.), ladybug, mealybug destroyer, minute pirate bug, spined soldier bug and whitefly parasitic wasp (Encarsia Formosa).
Buckwheat	Aphid, mealybug, spider mites and soft scales.	Ladybug, minute pirate bug (Orius spp), tachinid fly, chalcid wasps, lacewing (Chrysopa spp), and Braconid wasp.
Corn	Thrips, spider mites, leafhopper, corn earworm, small caterpillars and many other insects	Lacewing (Chrysopa spp), minute pirate bug (Orius spp.)
Fennel	Cutworm, armyworm, tent caterpillar, cabbage looper, gypsy moth,’ some attack sawfly, Japanese beetle, May beetle, squash bug, green stink bug and sow bug.	Braconid wasp, chalcid wasps (many families, including Trichogrammatidae). Ladybird bettle or ladybug, mealybug destroyer, spider, spider mite destroyer, syrphid fly, whitefly and parasitic wasp (Encarsia Formosa).
Sweet alyssum	Spider mites	Spider mite destroyer, tachinid fly, syrphid fly or hover flies.
Alfalfa	Many insects, including other bugs, flea beetles, spite mites, insect eggs and small caterpillars.	Big eye bug (Geocoris spp.), damsel bug and minute pirate bug.
Sorghum	Nematodes.	Parasitic nematodes and buffer zone (insect trap zone).
Black eye beans	A number of insects.	Parasitic wasps.
Valvet beans	A number of insects.	Parasitic wasps.
Suddan grass		Buffer zone (Trap zone)
Cilantro	Aphids, thrips and small caterpillars.	Hover flies, parasitic wasps and tachinid fly.
Radish	Aphids, thrips and worm eggs.	Hover flies and parasitic wasps.