Introduction

Integrated Pest Management seeks to manage pests in sustainably and profitably  but at the ecosystem level, considering cultural, biological and chemical approaches. IPM has had a long association with cotton in the San Joaquin Valley. Beginning in the 1940s and through the 1960's the concept of Supervised Control was practiced in which a trained entomologist inspected fields to ensure pest pressure warranted an insecticide treatment. From this early concepts of field scouting to the development of integrated control concepts in the 1960’s IPM progressed to include decision support tools involving plant based measurements linked to population pressure.

This web sites is dedicated to the continual progress of IPM in cotton and should serve as a touchstone for the research and knowledge that has lead us here.

IPM in field crops update

Who Goes There - Friend or Foe?
Posted 5/15/2012 - As cotton seedlings develop, western flower thrips (WFT) can occur in great numbers.  As winter grain fields  dried up for harvest or alfalfa fields are cut for hay, large numbers can descend on a cotton field causing growers and PCAs to pause...

Off to the Races!
Posted 5/4/2012 - Cotton planting is well underway in the past 3 weeks now that the weather turned warm. While the initial planting was cool and intermittently wet, temperatures since April 16th in the San Joaquin Valley have been excellent for planting cotton. Looking...

Cotton Planting Forecasts Available
Posted 3/16/2012 - Cotton planting season for cotton is already upon us. Planting cotton into the most favorable temperature conditions results in good stands and vigorous plants. The 5-day forecast of degree-days (heat units) is provided to help California's San Joaquin...

Field meeting helps provide cotton management direction in challenging year
Posted 7/1/2011 - Gathering in a cotton field near Mendota, CA, farmers, pest control advisers and UC Cooperative Extension gathered to discuss approaches to the challenges in cotton production in the next few weeks. Sponsored by the Sustainable Cotton Project (SCP) and...

The Great Integrator – why the cotton plant is a good indicator for Lygus management
Posted 6/28/2011 - For over 20 years, UC has recommended plant based measurements as a basis for production decisions. These decisions include timing for Lygus treatments, using plant growth regulators, determining crop cutout and planning for defoliation. Details are...