RSS 1.0Cotton
ABOUT THE COLLECTION
The mission of the Arizona Pest Management Center (APMC) is to support College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) faculty in their efforts to develop and deliver outstanding Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs that address the needs of Arizona’s citizens. This includes IPM programs serving agriculture, urban communities and natural areas.
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For information, please contact APMC at https://acis.cals.arizona.edu/about-us/arizona-pest-management-center.
Collections in this community
Recent Submissions
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$1+ Cotton? New Thresholds?This one‐page IPM short explains current insect control thresholds for cotton in an era of high cotton prices. It reviews research on managing two key pests—Lygus and whiteflies—and confirms that the established Lygus threshold (15 total insects with at least 4 nymphs per 100 sweeps) remains economically optimal, even suggesting that thresholds could be as high as 15:8. For whiteflies, the document shows that the current threshold levels are sufficient to prevent quality reductions without affecting yield. Overall, the work supports that maintaining these thresholds maximizes revenue and crop quality while avoiding unnecessary pesticide applications, reinforcing sound integrated pest management practices.
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Cotton Insecticide Use Guide: Knowing and Balancing RisksThis two‐page guide offers a concise, practical overview for cotton growers and pest management professionals on how to select insecticides that balance effective pest control with environmental, human, and ecological safety. It presents a rating system that scores products for their efficacy against target pests (such as whiteflies and lygus bugs) and for their risks to beneficial organisms like predatory insects, pollinators, and other wildlife, as well as potential hazards to human bystanders and aquatic life. The guide emphasizes that no product is completely without risk and that informed decisions require weighing factors such as pest control performance, resistance management, cost, and broader environmental impact. Developed by experts from the University of Arizona and USDA-ARS, this IPM (Integrated Pest Management) short serves as a user-friendly reference to help growers choose insecticides that support sustainable cotton production while minimizing unintended consequences.
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Beginner’s Guide to Predator ThresholdsGuide covering all instructions and elements needed to learn use of Predator Thresholds for managing whiteflies in cotton.
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Cotton Insecticide Use Guide: Knowing and Balancing RisksMany factors must be considered when choosing an insecticide, such as cost, efficacy, risk of resistance, and safety to non-target organisms. This Cotton Insecticide Use Guide summarizes the diverse risks of insecticides used to control three pests, helping you make well informed pest management decisions.
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Non-target Effects of Insecticides in CottonHandout reviewing 2023 cotton season trials, including a discussion on historical trends in insect control, Plinazolin and Sefina usage in Arizona cotton, ThryvOn cotton research, and early season insect control options. Handout was provided during the field tour during the 13th Annual Central Arizona Farmer Field Day held on November 15, 2023.
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Anatomy of a Cotton Sweep for Pests and PredatorsRegular sampling of cotton with a sweep net is one of the most powerful ways to monitor the density of key pests and natural enemies, facilitating critical decision-making. It is subject to individual variation, but standardization of sweeping technique can be accomplished so sweeps results of one pest manager match those of another pest manager.
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Cotton Insect Control Trends: Where do we go from here?The Arizona cotton IPM strategy has depended on the introduction and stewardship of multiple selective technologies like Bt cottons for lepidopteran control and selective insecticides that are specific to whiteflies or Lygus control. The system is entirely dependent on these technologies and their safety to natural enemies like predators that provide biological control of whiteflies and other pests. Recently, we introduced Predator Thresholds for determining the level of biological control provided by 6 groups of cotton predators. How to manage ThryvOn has become a very common question this year, now that it is completely commercialized and growers have made purchasing decisions outside of planted seed contracts.
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Tips on How to Manage Lygus Efficiently in ThryvOn CottonThryvOn cotton has been introduced to Arizona largely through seed contracts and other limited programs in 2021. The Arizona cotton IPM strategy depends on the introduction and stewardship of selective technologies like Bt cottons for lepidopteran control and selective insecticides for whitefly or Lygus control. The system also depends on their safety to natural enemies like predators that provide biological control of whiteflies and other pests. Recently, we introduced Predator Thresholds that guide insecticide application timing for whitefly control by determining the level of biological control provided by 6 groups of cotton predators.
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Manejo fitosanitario de insectos de hábito chupador en algodoneroThe Arizona IPM strategy, in conclusion, was rooted in these innovations. 1) Science-based sampling and threshold plans; 2) A determined and intentional transition away from broad-spectrum insecticides and to selective technologies, including whitefly insect growth regulators and other fully selective insecticides and Carbine and Transform for Lygus control; 3) A strong integration of chemical and biological controls as first envisioned by the progenitors of IPM more than 60 years ago; and 4) The development and deployment of “Use Instructions” for natural enemy conservation and the “Predator Thresholds”.
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Control Integral Quimico y Biologico en AlgodonEl control biológico funciona. Funciona aún mejor cuando los controles químicos se seleccionan cuidadosamente para que se conserven los grupos de benéficos clave. La chinche ojona, escarabajo Collops, arañas cangrejo, larva de crisopa, chinche pirata y la mosca Drapetis son los benéficos claves el sistema del algodón. Pueden mantener bajo control la población de mosca blanca cuando sus números son lo suficientemente altos.
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The University of Arizona 2022 Cotton Variety Testing Program - Trial ResultsVariety selection is one of the most important decisions a grower will make contributing to the success of a cotton crop. It is critical, that a grower have as much information as possible in order to make an informed decision regarding variety selection. In an effort to help supply reliable variety performance information, the University of Arizona conducts a statewide cotton variety testing program. The 2022 cotton season variety trials were conducted in 3 locations across Arizona including Yuma, Maricopa, and Safford. This testing program is called the University of Arizona Upland Cotton Advanced Strains Testing Program.
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Highly Hazardous Pesticide Phase-Out for US Cotton Growers: Alternatives, Risks, and OpportunitiesAs part of its focus on making cotton production better for the environment and the people who produce it, Better Cotton is committed to reducing the hazardous impacts of pesticide use on human health and the environment. Better Cotton supports farmers to prioritizeIPM practices, phase out Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs), and minimize the negative impacts of pesticides that continue to be used. We reviewed seven of the most acutely toxic substances that have been used by Better Cotton growers in the US to understand risks to human health and the environment, chemical and cultural alternatives, mitigation measures, and tradeoffs and limitations. The active ingredients are abamectin, aldicarb, bifenthrin, dicrotophos, lambda-cyhalothrin, oxamyl, and phorate. The information reviewed includes pesticide use reports from California and Arizona, interviews with key regional experts, EPA risk assessment documents, the IPM Institute’s Pesticide Risk Tool, and other online resources. HHPs are defined by the World Health Organization and UN Food and Agriculture Organization; Better Cotton reviews and revises its list annually to reflect updates to product information.
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Highly Hazardous Pesticide Phase-Out for US Cotton Growers: Alternatives, Risks, and OpportunitiesThe global community has identified sets of highly hazardous pesticides, of which at least 16 are in use by US cotton growers, four of those are prohibited and others are targeted by Better Cotton for phase-out. While there have been attempts to unify this information into a single list, agencies and organizations have maintained their own versions of highly hazardous pesticides. This report examines current use patterns, utility and efficacy; alternative pest management technologies and techniques including their efficacy, limitations and trade-offs; specific environmental and human health hazards, and translation to risks in the US cotton system, and efficacy and limitations of mitigations. We also present barriers to phase-out for each insecticide and the ramifications this might have for Better Cotton’s US cotton production. Lastly, we identify opportunities for supporting growers during this period of transition, including with coordinated education and outreach.
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Making Whitefly & Predator CountsGuidelines for sampling whiteflies and identifying predators critical in their management. Includes predator-prey tables that provide guidelines that aid in management decisions of whiteflies.
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Whitefly Predator “Thresholds” in CottonNatural enemy conservation is central to pest avoidance in cotton. The benefit of predators for controlling whiteflies should not be overlooked. Today’s growers can use selective technologies that conserve predators, which play a critical (& free) role in controlling whiteflies. We don’t normally think of predators as having “thresholds”, but new research identifies critical levels of predators that impact economic spray decisions for whiteflies.
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In 7 Minutes or Less!In 7 minutes or less and just 7 steps, you can determine the size and structure of Bemisia tabaci populations in a cotton field. With this information, more precise and appropriate control decisions can be made.
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Cotton Insecticide Use Guide: Knowing and Balancing RisksMany factors must be considered when choosing an insecticide, such as cost, efficacy, risk of resistance, and safety to non-target organisms. This Cotton Insecticide Use Guide summarizes the diverse risks of insecticides used to control three pests, helping you make well informed pest management decisions
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Integrating Chemical & Biological Control in CottonBiological control works when chemical controls are carefully selected so that key predator groups are conserved. Big-eyed bugs, Collops beetles, crab spiders, lacewing larvae, minute pirate bugs and Drapetis flies are the key predators in the cotton system. They can effectively hold whiteflies in check when their numbers are high enough. Includes updated whitefly predator threshold tables.
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Utilizando los Predadores en Algodón - FMC22La guía del inspector acompañante para “Making Whitefly & Predator Counts”. Esta guía portátil proporciona instrucciones para el muestreo de mosca blanca y predators. La tablas proporcionan una guía para tomar decisiones sobre cuando fumigar para manejar eficazmente mosca blanca. Disponible tanto en inglés como en español.
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Pale-Striped Flea Beetles in Young Cotton StandsA guide to protecting young and emerging cotton from flea beetle damage and the factors to consider in determining control options.
