Impact of ThryvOn® Cotton Traits on Key Thrips and Lygus Pest Populations in the Midsouth

February 2, 2026

Click on a tab below to see data collected each year for this study

TRIAL OBJECTIVE

  • ThryvOn® Technology provides cotton growers with an innovative pest management tool for use against key thrips and plant bug species.*
  • This trial continues research to help address questions associated with the use of this technology, particularly those related to insect treatment thresholds and the response of the technologies against the endemic insect pests present at the Bayer Crop Science Learning Center at Scott, MS during 2025.
  • These questions include:
    • What effect will ThryvOn® Technology have on key thrips populations in cotton fields?
    • What impact will ThryvOn® Technology have on potential lygus pest populations?

*Scouting is critical to determine which and how many insecticide applications are recommended to avoid economic loss greater than pest management costs (i.e., when economic thresholds are met). Check with your local university extension for the latest spraying recommendations.

RESEARCH SITE DETAILS

Deltapine ThryvOn Hybrid Cotton Seed Evaluation Field Characteristics and Background
  • Intrepid Edge® insecticide was applied at 4 fl oz/acre for all thrips treatments.
  • Transform® WG insecticide was applied at 2 oz/acre as needed according to threshold.
  • All field work, tillage, and herbicides were per local standards.
  • Products planted for this study included:
    • Deltapine® brand cotton varieties:
      • DP 2414 B3TXF
      • DP 2115 B3XF
      • DP 2522NR B3TXF
      • DP 2328 B3TXF
      • DP 2333 B3XF
      • DP 2537 B3TXF
    • Technology:
      • B3XF: Bollgard® 3 XtendFlex® Technology
      • B3TXF: Bollgard® 3 ThryvOn® cotton with XtendFlex® Technology
  • Plots were planted and harvested as unreplicated strip plots, 12 rows by 240 feet long (0.2 acre per plot).
  • All plots were scouted weekly on an individual basis for both thrips and lygus insects.
    • Thrips were sampled via plant collection into soapy water, washing over fine mesh screens and counting under a microscope. This allowed classification and documentation of adult and larval thrips populations.
    • Thrips damage was visually monitored during the early season.
    • Lygus were scouted weekly by either sweep net or drop cloth as dictated by plant developmental status.
  • Both thrips and lygus were treated individually with appropriate insecticides according to Mississippi State threshold recommendations.
  • Thrips pressure in the trial was characterized as relatively high for the season. Lygus pressure was more moderate compared to other seasons and faded quickly during late July and August.
  • Data were collected as follows:
    • Weekly scouting for both lygus and thrips as appropriate.
    • Four thrips samples were taken on 5/21/2025, 5/28/2025, 6/3/2025, and 6/9/2025 and averaged across dates for immatures, adults, and total thrips per plant for the season.
    • Lygus sampled weekly as appropriate – data not shown.
    • Machine harvested yield.
    • Hand samples ginned for fiber quality and turnout estimations.

UNDERSTANDING THE RESULTS

Four Deltapine cotton seed varieties lint yield based on insect treatment performance. Includes Cotton Thrips Only, Lygus Only, Untreated Control (UTC), and Spray by threshold.
Figure 1. Cotton lint yield by insect treatment and variety tested at the Bayer Crop Science Learning Center at Scott, MS (2025).
Deltapine cotton average lint yield based on insect treatment performance. Includes Cotton Thrips Only, Lygus Only, Untreated Control (UTC) and Spray by threshold.
Figure 2. Average cotton lint yield by insect treatment across all cotton varieties and technologies tested in this trial at the Bayer Crop Science Learning Center at Scott, MS (2025).
Chart shows Deltapine average cotton lint yield by cotton treatment and Bollgard 3 cotton trait
Figure 3. Average cotton lint yield by insect treatment and technology at the Bayer Crop Science Learning Center at Scott, MS (2025).

Yield Analysis by Treatments Tested:

  • Threshold Treatment Discussion – Technology results averaged across representative varieties (Figure 3).
    • Treated for Thrips Only, Not Lygus
      • Bollgard® 3 ThryvOn® Technology: 1261 lb lint/acre
      • Bollgard® 3 Technology: 1233 lb lint/acre
    • Treated for Lygus Only, Not Thrips
      • Bollgard® 3 ThryvOn® Technology: 1182 lb lint/acre
      • Bollgard® 3 Technology: 1230 lb lint/acre
    • UTC, Untreated Control
      • Bollgard® 3 ThryvOn® Technology: 1161 lb lint/acre, a reduction of 327 lb/acre (or 22% reduction) compared to Spray by Threshold at 1488 lb lint/acre
      • Bollgard® 3 Technology: 1143 lb lint/acre, a reduction of 181 lb/acre (or 14% reduction) compared to Spray by Threshold at 1324 lb/acre
    • Spray By Threshold
      • Bollgard® 3 ThryvOn® Technology: 1488 lb lint/acre
      • Bollgard® 3 Technology: 1324 lb lint/acre
      • Resulted in a 12.4 % yield improvement for Bollgard® 3 ThryvOn® Technology compared to Bollgard® 3 Technology without ThryvOn® Technology
Chart shows average number of adult cotton thrips per Deltapine cotton plant by cotton treatment and Bollgard 3 cotton trait
Figure 4. Average number of adult thrips per plant by insect treatment and technology, the Bayer Crop Science Learning Center at Scott, MS (2025).
Chart shows average number of immature cotton thrips per Deltapine cotton plant by cotton treatment and Bollgard 3 cotton trait
Figure 5. Average number of immature thrips per plant by insect treatment and technology, the Bayer Crop Science Learning Center at Scott, MS (2025).
Chart shows average total number of adult & immature cotton thrips per Deltapine cotton plant by cotton treatment and Bollgard 3 cotton trait
Figure 6. Average number of total thrips per plant by insect treatment and technology, the Bayer Crop Science Learning Center at Scott, MS (2025).
Image shows a cotton field prior to harvest with cotton plants split in two: on the left ThryvOn Technology was not used and on the right Deltapine cotton with a ThryvOn cotton trait that was planted with a robust cotton crop.
Figure 7. Plot without ThryvOn® Technology (left) and plot with ThryvOn® Technology (right) prior to harvest. The Bayer Crop Science Learning Center at Scott, MS (2025).

General Conclusions – Several observations were made when comparing the treatments in this trial, including:

  • Fewer thrips were collected from the plots with cotton varieties that included ThryvOn® Technology plots across the study regardless of threshold treatment applied.
  • Thrips inflicted little to no yield damage in the ThryvOn® Technology plots which were untreated for thrips.
  • Thrips inflicted substantial damage in the untreated control plots that did not include ThryvOn® Technology. This damage can be described as both mechanical damage from feeding and maturity delays associated with recovery from the damage. This is difficult to measure but easily observable in the plots.
  • In plots without ThryvOn® Technology where thrips were treated, thrips feeding and reproduction still occurred at considerable levels as measured by scouting, even with applications applied for control. This resulted in some maturity delay in the varieties without ThryvOn® Technology.
  • Relatively fewer (1/3 to 1/4) Lygus bug nymphs were observed during late season scouting in the cotton varieties with ThryvOn® Technology than in those without it. This is somewhat difficult to measure but provides possible evidence that ThryvOn® Technology is directly impacting Lygus reproductive success, translating into fewer adults and less damage at the end of the season.
  • Lygus were a somewhat more influential insect pest across the study. Without treatment, both technologies had lower yields related to Lygus injury from the populations present in the study. The varieties without ThryvOn® Technology suffered more damage (as a percentage) compared to the varieties with ThryvOn® Technology.
  • When sprayed by threshold, both technologies appeared to express optimal yield potential with the ThryvOn® Technology varieties showing a 12.4% increase compared to the varieties without ThryvOn® Technology.

KEY LEARNINGS

  • In this trial, the Deltapine® brand cotton varieties that contained ThryvOn® Technology appeared to be competitive with current commercial products. Placement, management, and agronomic inputs remain very important to optimizing the potential of all cotton products which growers choose to plant, regardless of technology.
  • The two cotton varieties tested that did not contain ThryvOn® Technology, DP 2115 B3XF and DP 2333 B3XF, required one thrips treatment on 6/1/2025 based on threshold. None of the ThryvOn® Technology varieties required treatments for thrips throughout the trial.
  • Although varieties with ThryvOn® Technology had substantial effects on Lygus populations, treatments were still required for all varieties tested across the study as dictated by threshold. All threshold treated varieties required lygus treatment on 6/1/2025. DP 2333 B3TXF also required treatment on 7/1/2025. No other lygus treatments were required during the study.
  • Large populations of migrating adult lygus bugs (and potentially immatures at high levels) will require treatment. An effect of ThryvOn® Technology on lygus populations may be observed later in the season.
  • When lygus populations exceed the recommended state thresholds, make applications of recommended materials as required.
  • Please contact your local Deltapine® brand representative for more information.

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Disclaimer

Always read and follow pesticide label directions, insect resistance management requirements (where applicable), and grain marketing and all other stewardship practices.