As cotton growers are preparing to plant, proper planning and management are necessary for optimal stand establishment. Poor soil temperatures and moisture levels, as well as heavy insect pressure, will adversely affect plant population, and ultimately crop yield and quality. Scouting cotton in the early stages of development can help identify fields where plants may be under adverse stress.

While higher plant densities can help ensure a consistent stand, they can also lead to increased insect and disease pressure. The primary insect pest in the Mid-South and Southeast that threatens seedling cotton is thrips. Severe thrips infestations can cause stunting, maturity delays and yield losses. Because the severity of thrips cannot be predicted, insecticide seed treatments and foliar insecticide applications are recommended to reduce the risk of thrips damage.

Targeting pests from emergence through the first weeks of development, seed treatment insecticides provide consistent and reliable protection against early-season insect pests under a variety of environmental conditions. Avicta^® Elite Cotton Plus with Vibrance^® nematicide/insecticide/fungicide, a combination of separately registered products, is a recommended seed treatment from Syngenta that will combat thrips and other insects, diseases and nematodes found in early-season cotton. The additional active ingredient to thiamethoxam allows cotton growers who have come to rely on Avicta® Complete Cotton, a combination of separately registered products, as their standard seed treatment solution to better combat early-season insects with increased product consistency. In addition, Syngenta highly recommends a foliar overspray of an insecticide with an alternate mode of action, from the neonicotinoid class of insecticides, at the one true leaf stage of cotton. Following these pre-planting tips, and preparing for the unexpected can help growers obtain optimal stand establishment, combat thrips and ultimately help grow more cotton.

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©2016 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Avicta Duo Cotton and Avicta Duo COT202 are Restricted Use Pesticides. Avicta Elite Cotton Plus with Vibrance is an on-seed application of Avicta Duo Cotton or Avicta Duo COT202 nematicide/insecticide, Gaucho Grande insecticide, Dynasty CST and Vibrance fungicides. Avicta Complete Cotton is an on-seed application of Avicta Duo Cotton or Avicta Duo COT202 seed treatment and Dynasty CST fungicide. Avicta technology is protected by U.S. Patent No. 6,875,727. Avicta®, Dynasty CST®, Vibrance®, the Alliance Frame, the Purpose Icon and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Gaucho® is a registered trademark of Bayer.