Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2017
Field studies to determine the effect of flame cultivation on cotton pests and beneficial insects were conducted in 1994. Mortality of caged tarnished plant bugs and convergent lady beetles located at the soil surface and canopy heights of 10 and 20 cm above the ground in 25- to 30-cm cotton was recorded after flaming at two liquid propane-gas (LP-gas) pressure settings with or without water-shield protection. Air temperatures, measured proximal to insects during flame treatments, were lower at higher levels in the cotton canopy regardless of LP-gas pressure and the presence or absence of water-shield protection. A mortality of 100% was observed at the soil surface for both insect species in all treatments. Plant bug and lady beetle mortality was lower at the 10- and 20-cm heights relative to soil surface values after flaming at 100 kPa LP-gas pressure. After treatments at 175 kPa, only the mortality of lady beetles at 20 cm above the ground was lower than mortality obtained at the soil surface and 10-cm height. Although flaming induced lady beetle mortality, these beneficial insects were not affected to the same extent as plant bugs at higher canopy levels.