9 Pests Affecting Cotton Growth

Have you ever thought about pests that hinder the cultivation of cotton? It is often difficult to cultivate this white gold that nature has given us. As in any field of agriculture, there are problems in cotton growing. Various diseases and pests increase the extra work for us during the cultivation of cotton. In this article, we will tell you what pests hinder the growth of cotton and how to fight them.

Caterpillar Worm

Named Agrotis Ipsilon in Latin, this pest is gray and usually rises to the surface at night. This pest, which easily rises to the surface at night, feeds on fresh seeds in the soil. To prevent this worm, it is necessary to prepare the soil well and clear the field of weeds. After that, the area needs to be treated with an effective solution.

Leaf Lice

Leaf lice are very small and do not stand out from the soil. The height of these pests is 1-2 mm. The colors are yellow, black and green. It damages the plant by absorbing the water in the lower part of the leaf. The damage does not end there. First of all, it stops the development of the leaf. The sticky mucus transmitted to the plant reduces the quality of the opened cones. An important method in the fight against leaf lice is to minimize fertilizer and irrigation. Another method is to remove weeds from the field and around the field.

Leaf Flea

The leaf fleas are green, gray and yellow in turn. These 3-4 mm long pests absorb the water contained in the leaves and prevent the plant from growing. As a result, the flower is expected to fall. To prevent this pest, 100 leaf samples are taken from 100 plants and if bees are found on 30 leaves, they are treated with effective solutions.

Cotton Flea

One of the biggest obstacles to the growth of cotton is cotton. This pest, 6-7 mm long and brown, is an absorber with long legs. Cotton buds damage the growth of cotton by sucking the initial shape and flowers of the plant. As a result, flowers and leaves fall abnormally. If such results are seen in 15 out of 100 plants, then there is a cotton boll in the field. Prevention is prevented by the most effective medication.

Wood Worm

Wood worms mainly damage cotton plants in dry and hot weather. It absorbs water from fresh shoots and leaves and prevents them from growing. As a result, the absorbed areas turn silver and the tips of the leaves curl downwards. Weeds in the field should be cleared to control woodworms. In addition, 20 cotton plants are examined in 5 different places in the field, and if even 1 wooden lice are found, then they are treated.

Red Spider

Red spiders are very small. If there is a light gray layer on the underside of the leaves and the leaves are red, then this spider is present in the field. They are known to spread very quickly in dry and hot places. If eggs are observed in 10 out of 100 leaves taken from 5 different places, they should be treated.

White Fly

Whiteflies are cream-colored and 1 mm long. This pest dries the plant by sucking the water from the leaves in the lower part of the cotton leaves, called freshly grown nymphs. The sticky mucus, in turn, stops the growth of cotton and reduces the quality of the fiber. If 1-2 whiteflies are seen on each leaf, the method of treatment is chosen.

Pink Worm

Pink worms, like other pests, damage the flowers of cotton plants. Before flowering, they enter and eat the elements that are important for growth. As a result, the cotton plant may be exposed to fungal diseases. Thus, the growth of the plant slows down.

Cotton Leaf Worm

Cotton leafworm is a pest that is mainly seen near the end of the season. The females of these worms lay 100-300 eggs under a leaf. The caterpillars that hatch from the eggs eat the surrounding leaves and damage them. Since it is difficult to deal with a mature caterpillar, measures must be taken when they are still young.

Important points to consider when treating cotton pests:

If pesticide treatment is to be carried out in a cotton field, it is important to pay attention to the following nuances for the health and safety of the field, humans and other living things.

• The first steps should be taken as soon as pests are observed;
• Medication should not harm the animals and food in the area. This must be prevented;
• For other herbs, the tools used in the treatment should be thoroughly cleaned;
• Spraying of cotton fields near animal feed should not be done in windy weather;
• Measures should be taken against poisoning before the start of the treatment process.