Why are cotton aphids not distributed uniformly throughout the field?
Irrigation water level is one of the many physical factors that affect aphid abundance in the field, with the high water level supporting significantly higher aphid numbers compared to supplemental and deficient irrigation water levels. A study at the AGCARES farm in Lamesa showed that the irrigation water level significantly affected leaf water content of cotton plants. The high level of irrigation water (watered at 100% ET) resulted in significantly higher leaf moisture content than the supplemental (75% ET) and deficient (50% ET) water levels. Cotton aphid abundance was significantly correlated with the leaf moisture content. Together, these results indicate that irrigation water level has a significant influence on cotton aphid population dynamics, mediated through differential leaf moisture content.
