Pest management information covers nearly 100 pest problems, including information on pesticide resistance, cotton aphid, silverleaf whitefly, pink bollworm, boll weevil, Fusarium wilt, Verticillium wilt, seedling diseases, velvetleaf, and disease-resistant cotton varieties. 180 color plates.

This book presents a global overview of the background to, and the current state of, crop protection and pest management in cotton crops. Cotton is one of the most economically important crops in the world and has been grown for centuries but maintaining high yields of good quality requires sophisticated approaches to pest management. The introduction and use of pesticides over the decades significantly increased cotton yields but lead to many adverse environmental impacts. Over time, new and alternative insecticides were developed but overuse has enabled pests to develop significant resistance. The development of genetically modified cotton varieties with toxins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis enabled much improved control of lepidopteran larvae, including bollworms, but as the toxins had no effect on sucking pests, farmers had no choice but to continue using insecticides. Also, some of the new cotton varieties developed in recent times have not adapted to different climatic conditions and the quality of cotton fibre declined as a result. This book shows the need for more research to select cotton varieties with high quality fibres suitable for different cotton growing areas and to develop integrated pest management strategies to minimise the use of pesticides. It also demonstrates the need for an inter-disciplinary approach bringing together plant breeders, entomologists, plant pathologists, agronomists and agricultural engineers to achieve high yields of high quality cotton.

Factors affecting cotton production practices; Contemporary practices for pest management; Current trends and future alternatives in pest management; Developments in the cotton industry with potential; Delivery of integrated pest management programs; Effects of adopting alternative pest control practives; Relative environmental stress of producing.

Presents a comprehensive integration of IPM techiques into cotton production methodology. Practical approach addresses economic, agronomic, and biological factors of pest management, focussing on the plant's resistance to pests and the genetic rationale for improving plant health. Discusses methods of quantifying plant damage and pest abundance, surveys the latest research developments, and suggests various approaches to an overall management strategy for each of the major pest groups. Also evaluates the latest approaches to economic analysis of cotton IPM systems.