Specialists Speaking- Ben McKnight
Ben McKnight
TEXAS
As I write this in early May, statewide planting progress of the 2026 cotton crop is on pace with the five-year average for cotton planting progress in Texas. By the time you are reading this, planting progress will most likely be significantly higher as much of the crop in the Southern High Plains and Rolling Plains will be planted in May. Drought conditions continue to persist around much of the state in early May, but recent rainfall has improved conditions slightly for some cotton production regions of Texas.
As cotton emerges, one of the more common pests early in the season across the central, east, and southern portions of the state is thrips. The ThryvOn trait continues to provide excellent protection against thrips and is available in several commercial varieties in 2026. For non-ThryvOn cotton varieties, certain seed treatments are still effective at combatting thrips early in the season but typically do not provide much protection past the two-true-leaf growth stage. Being proactive in scouting fields can assist with determining if a thrips population is at or above the economic threshold for insecticide application.
Additionally, remaining diligent with early season weed control is imperative for maximizing yield and fiber quality. Proactive scouting and monitoring of weed flushes following rainfall or irrigation improves our ability to make timely herbicide applications with the right products for each field’s weed spectrum. Targeting small, actively growing weeds is essential to maximizing the activity of herbicide products on troublesome weeds in cotton production systems.
Ben McKnight
TEXAS
