Rain Sparks Insect Pressure in Crops

Jun 05, 2025

By Blair Fannin

Rainfall has benefitted many crops statewide, but the moisture also serves as a catalyst for insects and pests, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts.

Farmers across Texas continue to scout fields for signs of pests and damage to crops as the prime growing season begins.

Cotton thrips, fleahopper

At the Stiles Farm Foundation in Thrall, recent rain promoted strong plant development in cotton fields. But the moisture also led to a resurgence of cotton thrips and other pests.

“The cotton crop started off very clean and once we caught substantial rain and cooler overcast weather, thrips blew up quickly,” said Ryan Collett, farm manager. “We’ve been treating it. The cotton has recovered with the sunshine and is squaring aggressively. Now we are dealing with some flea hoppers, and we are getting ready to treat.”

Collett said the cotton flea hopper is one of the biggest pest problems in the region because they cause square losses, which leads to reduced yields.

“It’s all about protecting your squares,” he said. “You want to protect early season fruit set because you don’t know what conditions will be later on.”

Source : tamu.edu

Video: Our Own On-Farm Research Is the Best Source - Managing White Mold in Northeast Nebraska

If you assumed Nebraska was too hot and dry for white mold to be a problem in soybeans, think again.

This week we're featuring Galen Samuelson, a farmer and dealer from Wakefield, Nebraska, who knows all too well how devastating white mold can be.

"We don't have it consistently every year, but with our temperature and humidity, it can hurt us quite bad," Samuelson says. Looking for alternatives, he explains, "What I like about Heads Up is that it's non-harmful to the beneficial fungal colonies in the soil." Galen has been using Heads Up for several years now, after first hearing about it through a small ad in a regional newspaper. Watch below to hear about his journey.

When asked to write about Samuelson Seed, Galen said the following:

"Samuelson Seed is a 4th-generation, family-based company. It started with my grandfather, and I'm now starting to pass the torch to my son, Caleb."

"In the early 1990s, I started working with a company whose focus was on plant and soil health before those benefits were widely known. I've continued to keep plant and soil health the main focus in our farming operation decisions."