The first caterpillar-resistant transgenic cotton varieties (Bollgard) were approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1996. The Bollgard technology has successfully reduced the frequency of sprays for caterpillar pests by about half.

This 2008 guide was compiled by LSU AgCenter experts and includes regulations, precautions and suggestions for pest control in Louisiana. Detailed topics include drift of pesticides, hazards of pesticides to beneficial insects and wildlife, phytotoxicity and using beneficial insects to control pest populations. A section on organic gardening also is included.

This guide includes helpful information on herbicides and weed control with detailed suggestions for aquatics, commercial nursery stock, field crops, forestry, fruit crops, home gardens, lawns and many other Louisiana crops. It includes information on different types of herbicide registrations, as well as information on herbicide labels and restricted uses. Also included are sprayer calibration techniques, suggestions for reducing herbicide drift and a guide to proper spray tip selection.

Farmers attending workshops in Acadia and Calcasieu parishes Tuesday (Oct. 25) learned about assistance for dealing with hardships caused by two hurricanes that struck the state this summer. Similar sessions, organized by the LSU AgCenter, were planned for New Iberia, Hammond and Raceland over the next few days.

The 2005 Louisiana cotton crop took significant hits when the second hurricane in less than a month roared into the state this past weekend (Sept. 23-25).

Root-knot nematode is the second most important nematode that damages cotton in Louisiana.

(Distributed 01/25/08) Testing soil and properly managing weeds and insects can help cotton farmers grow a successful 2008 crop, experts told approximately 60 cotton producers and other industry representatives at the Louisiana Cotton Forum held Jan. 23 at the Delhi Civic Center.

This guide for 2008 contains suggestions for management of the most important or more prevalent diseases of Louisiana plants. It includes information on fungicides, bactericides and nematicides, as well as safety precautions for using them.

Plant bugs have become a very serious insect pest of cotton in the Midsouth. Control is often difficult because of high population densities and resistance. Follow these best management practices to help reduce the cost of plant bug control.

Genetically engineered plants are an important part of integrated pest management (IPM) programs in cotton production. One such plant, Bollgard cotton, includes a gene from a bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, that is toxic to caterpillar pests, while being safe for humans, other animals and the environment.

2007 pre-emergence and post-emergence chemical recommendations for controlling weeds in cotton. (PDF Format Only)

Several nematode pests cause serious losses in cotton.

Agricultural damage in Louisiana has been estimated in excess of $1 billion, including $610 million in lost timber, $145 million in sugarcane and $151 million for seafood.

Each year, the LSU AgCenter conducts a number of on-farm cotton variety trials. These trials can be a useful supplement to Official Variety Trial (OVT) information as well as other sources of data on which to base cotton variety selection decisions.

Information on application timings, weed control, tank-mixing herbicides with Roundup Ultra, tillage systems and selecting varieties included.

Herbicide resistance has become a major concern in U.S. cotton production. Over the years, numerous cases of weeds developing resistance to several classes of herbicides have been recorded. Recommendations for managing herbicide resistance in 2008 cotton, as well as color photographs, are included.

Wheat acreage in Louisiana has increased significantly because of higher wheat prices. With the increase in wheat acreage, interest has risen considerably in double-cropping cotton after wheat is harvested. Recommendations for growing cotton in a double-cropped production system with wheat in 2007 are included.

Recent rains have drenched Louisiana, and the outlook is not good for the state’s rice crop. Corn and wheat also have taken a beating – but specialists believe the Louisiana cotton crop may have weathered the storm. Double-digit rainfall was recorded in many areas of the state over the past couple of weeks, and totals exceeding 20 inches were seen in some places. Observers even reported as much as 24-27 inches in spots.

Producers heard a variety of experts at the Louisiana Cotton Forum in Monroe.

Louisiana farmers will plant more acreage in rice, soybeans and cotton but less in corn.

Cotton farmers who have access to the Internet can find a lot of information they need on planting and managing their crops, according to an LSU AgCenter expert.

Stressing that production agriculture alone is not enough to sustain rural economies, a leading food science expert said farm productivity needs to be converted to consumer-ready products.

(Distributed 06/20/01) According to figures released by the Louisiana Boll Weevil Eradication Commission, the parishes with the state's highest cotton acreage figures are Tensas Parish with 115,000 acres and Morehouse with 104,000 acres. Dr. John Barnett, cotton specialist with the LSU AgCenter, said cotton farmers across the state are reporting about 896,000 acres.

Irrigation ponds can irrigate fields during the summer without resorting to pumping water from wells.

This report presents estimates of projected production costs for the production of cotton, soybeans, corn, milo and wheat in the Red River and central areas of Louisiana for the 2007 crop year.

This report presents estimates of projected production costs for the production of cotton, soybeans, corn, milo and wheat in Northeast Louisiana for the 2007 crop year.

Cutworms are early-season pests that damage cotton by reducing plant stand densities below optimum levels. Damage generally occurs in poorly drained areas where winter vegetation is still present. This publication includes information on biology, field habits, control, and the description and field identification for the various types of cutworms.

(Distributed03/27/03) Rice planting has begun in South Louisiana, but many farmers in the central and northern parts of the state are looking for options because they’ve been delayed by persistent rains and wet field conditions. That’s where the state’s aerial applicators – pilots with specially equipped aircraft – come in. And many of those aerial applicators take advantage of LSU AgCenter services that help them check their equipment.

The cotton production system is evolving rapidly in the mid-South because of the use of new technologies. Bt cotton varieties are planted on more than 80 percent of mid-South acreage because of the threat posed by resistant tobacco budworm, bollworms and, to a lesser extent, other caterpillar pests. Procedures, results and example data collection sheet included. Revised July 2007 (PDF Format Only)

Agronomic row and feed-grain crops are important commodities in Louisiana. The intent of Best Management Practices (BMPs) is to provide the growers of soybeans, cotton, corn, grain sorghum and wheat some guidelines on practices they can implement to reduce the impact these agricultural practices may have on the environment.

LSU AgCenter scientists hope they will soon be able to make recommendations for farmers whose fields were hit with saltwater contamination from Hurricane Rita’s storm surge.

Aflatoxin is a highly carcinogenic contaminant produced in corn grain infected with Aspergillus flavus fungus. Aflatoxin is especially widespread in Louisiana when high temperatures and drought conditions prevail during the grain-filling period.

Information for cotton seed quality and burndown options.

Discussion of early-season weed control and weed-free periods.

This publication includes information on updating base acreage and yield using cotton as an example and includes examples from the 2002 Farm Bill.

In Louisiana, southern green stink bugs and brown stink bugs (Figures 1, 2 and 3) have become common pests of corn, cotton, grain sorghum, soybean and wheat. In corn, an infestation can cause injury to the plant from seedling emergence through ear formation and grain development. Seedlings punctured by stink bugs exhibit small holes surrounded by localized dead tissue.