Evaluation of Thryvon technology for control of thrips and tarnished plant bugs in cotton

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

4:42 PM – 4:54 PM PT

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Meeting Room 110

Presenting Author(s)

AW

Adam Whitfield

Graduate Assistant
University of Arkansas
Lonoke, Arkansas

Co-Author(s)

BT

Benjamin Thrash

Assistant Professor of Entomology
University of Arkansas
Lonoke, Arkansas
NB

Nick Bateman

University of Arkansas
Stuttgart, Arkansas
MM

Mathew Mann

University of Arkansas
Lonoke, Arkansas
GF

Garret Felts

University of Arkansas
Stuttgart, Arkansas
AP

Andrew Plummer

University of Arkansas
Lonoke, Arkansas
Chase Floyd

PhD Candidate
University of Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Caleb R. Rice

Graduate Assistant
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
TN

Trevor B. Newkirk

University of Arkansas
Lonoke, Arkansas
TH

Taylor Harris

Graduate Assistant
University of Arkansas
Lonoke, Arkansas

Tobacco thrips and tarnished plant bug (TPB) are two of the most important pests in mid-south cotton production. Thrips are a pest in seedling cotton typically feeding on the leaf tissue of plants which can result in stunted growth, delayed fruiting, loss of apical dominance and possible stand loss. TPB is considered the number one insect pest of cotton causing square loss, deformed flowers and damaged bolls ultimately reducing yield. TPB are difficult to control and growers average 4-6 insecticide applications per year. Field studies were conducted in 2022 to evaluate Thryvon, a new transgenic trait in cotton that produces the Bt toxin, Cry51Aa, on the management of thrips and tarnished plant bugs in cotton. For thrips, Thryvon was as good or better than an insecticide-based approach. Thryvon cotton required fewer insecticide applications to adequately control TPB when compared to the non-Thryvon cotton. Yields showed that no differences were present between the sprayed and unsprayed thryvon plots. Results from this study indicate that Thryvon will be a valuable tool in controlling both thrips and TPB.