Investigation of the damage of Miridae species on cotton in ？ukurova Region of Turkey

Damage of the Miridae species on cotton was determined in cotton fields in two locations of Adana Province (？ukurova Region), Turkey during the years, 2013-2014. Experiments were conducted over 2 years with sprayed and unsprayed plots. Creontiades pallidus (Rambur, 1839) and Lygus italicus Wagner, 1950 were detected at both experimental areas. Also, the correlations between the mirid population and stained bolls have been investigated. The damage caused by the mirids on squares and bolls was measured in caged branch experiments. Mirid population increased from mid-July reaching the highest population density in late July or early August. Where mirid numbers were high, stained bolls and shed bolls were also high. As the number of C. pallidus nymphs released into the cages increased, the damage rates increased on the squares after 7 and 14 d. In cages with zero, one, two and four individuals released, damage rates in squares were 0, 0.9, 5.9 and 33.6%, respectively, after 7 d, and 0, 22.2, 41.4 and 58.0%, respectively, after 14 d. In addition, all bolls with a diameter of 0.5-0.9 cm after 7 d in cages with nymphs released were damaged