Voluntary Area-Wide Whitefly Monitoring Project Implementation 1995-1997, Gila Bend, AZ

Abstract

Growers, Pest Control Advisors (PCA), and University of Arizona Cooperative Extension personnel formulated and coordinated area-wide pest management strategies in the production area near Gila Bend, Az. from 1995-97. The primary pest target was whitefly with secondary control strategy implementation for pink bollworm in 1995. In 1995-1996, the coordinated effort encompassed approximately 10,000 and 6000 acres which included 10 and 8 cotton producers respectively and 6 pest control advisors. Due to producer interest and initiative in an adjoining production area, project acreage increased to over 18,000 acres and included 14 producers and 9 pest control advisors in 1997. The project cost of $3.00/acre was supported by participating producers with the monies used to hire University of Arizona trained students for field scouting of whiteflies. An economic development grant from the Electrical District #8 supported the project coordinator's salary who is a University of Arizona employee. Each field was sampled weekly for whitefly populations using recommended University of Arizona sampling procedure. The population data was then faxed to the responsible producer and pest control advisor on the date of sample. Treatment thresholds and chemistry class suggestions were made by Cooperative Extension with final control decisions and material choice at the producer and pest control advisor discretion. Weekly community wide meetings were conducted and used to discuss general area-wide and field specific population dynamics, treatment suggestions, crop condition, and agronomic and entomological area -wide production strategy recommendations.