Cotton pest management guide 2009-10

The Australian cotton industry continues to remain innovative and proactive despite a number of challenges.

The 2009/10 Cotton Pest Management Guide is the key resource in cotton crop protection and this year’s updates reflect many of the new and ongoing challenges the industry faces.

Adopting best practice in pest management is vital in protecting yields, maximising returns and ensuring viability of the industry into the future.

Both the weed and spray application sectors have been fully reviewed and there are some great practical tips including what to do if you suspect herbicide resistance and how to set up spray equipment to maximise efficacy.

There is an excellent description of the current situation for Bt resistance in the preamble to the Bollgard II® Resistance Management Plan (RMP).

Additions to this year’s Guide include the;

1. Profiling of cotton stainers in the Key Insect and Mite Pests section.
2. Description of Q-biotype in the whitefly profile.
3. Explanation of neonicotinoid resistance situation in the aphid profile.
4. Inclusion of photographs in the Biosecurity section to assist in field identification of exotic pests and diseases that are threats to the Australian cotton industry.

The Guide is available for download below in full or in sections.