Title: Removal of pesticide Temik means trouble for cotton industry - News - Lubbock Avalanche-Journal - Lubbock, TX
Headings: Removal of pesticide Temik means trouble for cotton industry
Removal of pesticide Temik means trouble for cotton industry
Content: Temik is also effective against aphids and thrips — another type of insect that also feeds on plant foliage and compromises the plant’s health. “Temik has historically been our commercial standard for both nematodes and thrips,” Woodward said. “ I think there’s going to be big shoes to fill from a new product standpoint.” Other nematode control products are available, but those who have tested those alternative chemicals found they were incomparable both in price and efficacy to Temik. Siders said nematodes are a serious problem: 80 percent of the cotton production land in Cochran and Hockley counties are infested with southern cotton root-knot nematode. Producers typically apply four to six pounds of Temik per irrigated acre, he said. Not having Temik or something as effective can determine the difference between having production and not having production, he said. A Levelland cotton producer said when he tested another nematode control pesticide against Temik, the plot using the other pesticide had half the yield of the plot treated with Temik. He planned to keep using Temik as long as it was available and, simultaneously, search for an alternative option.