Response of cotton cultivars with varying maturity traits to cotton fleahopper (Hemiptera: Miridae) feeding

Cotton fleahopper, Pseudatomoscelis seriatus Reuter (Hemiptera: Miridae), is an early season pest of upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. Feeding damage from this pest causes square abscission. The response of commercial cotton cultivars with varying maturity traits to cotton fleahopper feeding was assessed. The hypothesis was that feeding affects early and late-maturing cultivars differently in maturity delays and yield. Field experiments with natural and artificial infestations were conducted in Corpus Christi, TX. For the natural infestation experiment, 4 cultivars (DP 2020 B3XF, DP 2012 B3XF, PHY 332 W3FE, and PHY 545 W3FE) were assigned to main plots, with subplots either sprayed or not sprayed with thiamethoxam insecticide to control cotton fleahopper early in the season. The artificial infestation experiment used 2 cultivars (DP 2020 B3XF and PHY 545 W3FE) as main plots, with subplots infested to or not infested with cotton fleahopper using single square caging. In the no-spray subplots of the natural infestation experiment, cotton fleahopper feeding increased square abscission, leading to yield loss and delayed boll maturity, especially in cultivars classified as late-maturing. Early maturing cultivars consistently showed faster boll opening regardless of cotton fleahopper. Artificial infestation experiments further confirmed increased square abscission, reduced boll numbers, and lower lint weights when infested with cotton fleahopper. Early maturing cultivars are more resilient and may be particularly useful in areas with high cotton fleahopper pressure, especially when scheduling an early harvest is desirable.