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| In some fields, cotton bolls are opening early this season. |
It has been a weird week in the Valley. Perhaps Mother
Nature has concocted a little weird science with these blistering triple-digit
temperatures we’ve been having here.
Tomatoes and melons are ripening at a meteoric pace, forcing
growers to accelerate their harvesting plans. Alfalfa plants are turning to
seed. Cotton bolls are starting to open earlier than normal. And
crop-threatening pests are exploding on the scene.
What started as a fairly calm, normal season earlier this
summer could be turning a little weird for cotton growers as we approach the
fall equinox.
Let me put my weather cap on and give everyone a recap: Despite
a few record-breaking high temperatures in early June, the overall weather was
fairly normal for the month and provided ideal growing conditions for cotton;
July remained routine with no surprises; and then there is August with
18-straight days of triple-digit temperatures before finally dropping into the
90s on Saturday. In fact, just five days have been under 100 degrees this month,
according to the National Weather Service. We could be back to triple digits Tuesday. W
The result: I’ve seen the first
bolls already open up. That’s a little early. Usually, bolls open sometime in
the first week of September. If this keeps up, we could be in for an early
harvest.
To ease the heat-induced stress on the plants, some growers
have started to add an extra dose of water to their crop. This extra irrigation
is aimed at slowing the down boll opening.
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| First open boll. |
In the meantime, aphid and whitefly counts are on the rise.
The pests are migrating from nearby fields due to the accelerated tomato and
melon harvests. Also, the heat wave also is causing some alfalfa to dry out
fast and go to seed, prompting pests to seek more lush habitats such as nearby
cotton fields.
Meanwhile, a few anxious growers are moving ahead and treating
their cotton fields. I suggest growers hold off a few days before spraying,
especially if the bolls are still closed.
By being patient and monitoring the fields, the aphid counts could drop few
in a few days – beneficial insects may come in and help keep pests under
control. In addition, growers should run the numbers, comparing the percentage
of open bolls and pest counts to help them determine threshold for treatment. Go
online and check out UC IPM’s monitoring aphids and
whiteflies guidelines covering the first open boll to preharvest.
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| The alfalfa season is starting to wind down in the Valley. |
Right now, I’m generally seeing 15 to 20 percent infestation
in fields. The treatment threshold is about 30 to 40 percent infestation.
In the alfalfa, some plants are flowering and ready to turn
to seed. In that case, growers may lose out on getting one more cutting. Other
growers are hoping for two more cuttings before closing out the season. On the
pest front, I’m seeing an uptick in beet armyworms. UC IPM also offers tips
about monitoring for
armyworms in alfalfa.
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| Almonds are approaching hullsplit in this orchard. |
Almond field scout Jenna Horine reports an explosion
of spider mites in some orchards. Some areas are hit harder than others.
Harvest timing still varies, with some growers still waiting for hullsplit
while others are well into their nut harvest. In dealing with mites, long-time
entomologist and almond expert Walt Bentley tells us that growers they can’t do
anything about mites if harvest has started.
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| Some growers are still waiting for the harvest. |
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