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Cotton
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.
QUESTIONS?
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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Lygus In Cotton: Implementing Action Thresholds. No. 3Lygus bugs are a key economic pest in Arizona cotton, causing yield losses through square abscission, delayed crop maturity, and reduced fiber quality. Effective management requires balancing control with the risks of insecticide overuse, including secondary pest outbreaks and resistance. This IPM short outlines a research-based action threshold system designed to optimize economic returns while minimizing unnecessary applications. The recommended threshold—15 total Lygus with at least 4 nymphs per 100 sweeps (15/4)—focuses on the most damaging and controllable life stage, nymphs, while using adult counts as indicators of population establishment. Field studies demonstrate that this threshold reduces pest densities effectively and achieves near-optimal net returns, avoiding the yield penalties associated with excessive spraying. Implementation requires systematic sampling, careful interpretation of both adult and nymph counts, and consideration of crop stage, natural enemies, and environmental conditions. Overall, the 15/4 threshold provides a practical, economically sound framework for Lygus management that supports sustainable cotton production in Arizona.
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Advancing U.S. Cotton IPMThis 2024 Better Cotton Large Farm GIF project evaluated six highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) used in U.S. cotton and advanced integrated pest management (IPM) strategies to reduce reliance on broadly toxic insecticides. Through key informant surveys representing over 10 million cotton acres, pesticide use analyses, and regulatory risk assessments, we assessed current use patterns, pest targets, and barriers to phase-out. Five of the six HHPs were used on less than 5% of acres on average, with no predicted yield losses if discontinued. Fenpyroximate showed minor potential impacts (<0.1%) under specific mite resistance scenarios. Chlorpyrifos presented comparatively greater ecological and occupational risks, supporting accelerated phase-out. We also recommend transitioning from aggregate annual pesticide reporting to field-level spray records to better measure progress in pest management. Commercial-scale on-farm demonstrations in Arizona showed that predator-based thresholds eliminated the need for whitefly sprays without economic loss, demonstrating that conservation biological control can reduce pesticide inputs while sustaining productivity.
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Vertento® (isocycloseram) en Algodón: Eficacia, Selectividad Parcial y Uso Dentro del MIPEl registro reciente de Vertento® (isocicloseram; Grupo 30 de IRAC) introduce un nuevo modo de acción para el manejo de Lygus en el algodón de Arizona. Estudios de campo muestran un control excelente y consistente a una dosis de 1.6 onzas por acre (≈120 mL/ha), con actividad residual de dos semanas o más. Vertento se clasifica como un insecticida parcialmente selectivo (“caja amarilla”) dentro del sistema MIP de base biológica de Arizona, con efectos intermedios sobre organismos benéficos no objetivo. Sus impactos sobre depredadores son menores que los de insecticidas organofosforados, lo que lo convierte en una opción eficaz para el manejo de Lygus que apoya el manejo de la resistencia y reduce el riesgo de brotes secundarios.
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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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Vertento® (isocycloseram) for Lygus Management in Arizona CottonThe recent registration of Vertento® (isocycloseram; IRAC Group 30) introduces a novel mode of action for Lygus management in Arizona cotton. Field research under Arizona conditions demonstrates that Vertento provides excellent and consistent control of Lygus bugs at a rate of 1.6 oz per acre, with residual activity often extending two weeks or longer. Vertento is classified as a partially selective (“yellow box”) insecticide within Arizona’s biologically based IPM system, producing intermediate non-target effects on beneficial arthropods compared with fully selective and broad-spectrum alternatives. Predator community impacts are measurable but substantially less disruptive than those associated with organophosphate insecticides. When used strategically, Vertento offers an effective new option for Lygus control while supporting resistance management goals and minimizing the risk of secondary pest outbreaks. Its successful integration into Arizona cotton IPM depends on careful consideration of timing, predator abundance, and rotation with existing selective standards.
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Proactive Resistance Management App Instructional BookletThis instructional booklet provides a concise, field-ready guide to the Proactive Resistance Management (PRM) web tool, a community-based decision-support system developed by the Arizona Pest Management Center to promote proactive insect resistance management. Through short explanatory panels and annotated screenshots, the booklet introduces key concepts such as temporal refuge and Mode of Action (MoA) color families, explaining how users can interpret and apply PRM outputs to support sustainable insecticide stewardship across crops and regions. Designed for one-on-one or small-group teaching in the field, this resource complements the online tool available at PRM.extension.arizona.edu.
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EPA’s Mitigation Menu to Protect Endangered SpeciesThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must ensure that the use of a pesticide will not jeopardize federally listed threatened or endangered species, nor damage their critical habitats. For certain pesticides where runoff or soil erosion may pose threats to listed species, EPA may require users to ensure that protections are in place that will limit the potential for pesticide exposure. This is done through a system of “mitigation points” or “credits” that are obtained by users through adopting mitigation practices or documenting existing conditions that reduce risks of runoff and erosion. If points are needed to apply a pesticide, this requirement will be listed on the pesticide label and/or on an Endangered Species Bulletin. Arizona has many common field conditions, including a low to very low potential for runoff, that should make it easy for most growers in most situations to comply with mitigation requirements. This piece outlines situations where fields may be completely exempt from point requirements and identifies the most common conditions and practices in Arizona agriculture that can earn mitigation relief points. A link is provided to EPA’s Mitigation Menu website where definitions and additional mitigation practices are listed.
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Endangered Species Protection Bulletins Part 2: Understanding Pesticide Use Limitation AreasThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must ensure that the use of a pesticide will not jeopardize federally listed threatened or endangered species, nor damage their critical habitats. When required on a pesticide label, online Endangered Species Bulletins provide geographic-specific protections for listed species while allowing full labeled use of the pesticide in other areas. They are obtained through EPA’s Bulletins Live! Two, an interactive web-based app. An increasing number of pesticide products, though not all, require users to view and download Endangered Species Bulletins prior to making an application. Part 2 in this series explains the nuances of Pesticide Use Limitation Areas (PULAs) on Bulletins Live! Two using an example of a grower with fields both within and outside of a PULA. It clarifies differences in how to print a bulletin when a PULA is present or absent in the map view. it also highlights the main elements presented in an Endangered Species Bulletin.
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Endangered Species Protection Bulletins Part 1: What are they and when do you need them?The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must ensure that the use of a pesticide will not jeopardize federally listed threatened or endangered species, nor damage their critical habitats. When required on a pesticide label, online Endangered Species Bulletins provide geographic-specific protections for listed species while allowing full labeled use of the pesticide in other areas. They are obtained through EPA’s Bulletins Live! Two, an interactive web-based app. An increasing number of pesticide products, though not all, require users to view and download Endangered Species Bulletins prior to making an application. Part 1 in this series explains how to determine when an Endangered Species Bulletin is required, where and how to obtain a bulletin, and what type of information is provided.
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Temporal Refuges: A New Tool for Resistance ManagementThe Proactive Resistance Management (PRM) web application introduces a new approach to insect resistance management by visualizing “temporal refuges” — periods when pests are not exposed to residues of a given mode of action (MoA). Using pesticide use reporting data, the tool estimates exposure windows, merges overlapping spray periods, and calculates the proportion of residue-free days across successive 90-day intervals at the community scale (~9 square miles). The resulting charts allow growers and pest control advisors to quickly assess refuge availability for multiple MoAs and make more informed insecticide choices. While not prescriptive, these outputs highlight opportunities to partition MoAs through time, preserve susceptibility in pest populations, and delay resistance. By transforming complex pesticide use records into simple, interpretable visual outputs, the PRM tool provides a practical and scalable resource to guide community-level decision making and sustain the long-term efficacy of available chemistries.
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New Invasive U.S. Cotton Insects TrainingThis video recording accompanies the presentation New invasive U.S. cotton insects training (Ellsworth, Reyes, Keith, & Zilnik, 2025; http://hdl.handle.net/10150/678361). The training summarizes a tri-lateral series of educational sessions conducted in August–September 2025 to strengthen early detection and response capacity against two invasive insect pests threatening U.S. cotton production: the two-spot cotton leafhopper (Amrasca biguttula) and the cotton seed bug (Oxycarenus hyalinipennis). Hosted collaboratively by the Arizona Cotton Research and Protection Council, Mexican partners in Mexicali, and the University of Arizona’s Yuma Agricultural Center, these sessions engaged frontline inspectors, supervisors, and pest control advisors in recognizing diagnostic features, understanding pest biology, and assessing potential impacts. The program combined high-quality images, citizen science records (iNaturalist), and preserved specimens to enhance accurate field identification and to distinguish target species from common look-alikes. Distribution updates highlighted the rapid spread of A. biguttula from Florida into the U.S. Cotton Belt and the establishment of O. hyalinipennis in California. Training outcomes confirmed participants’ ability to identify both pests in adult and immature stages, supporting regional preparedness and coordinated response efforts. This initiative underscores the importance of proactive education and cross-border collaboration in managing invasive threats to cotton production systems. Recorded and edited by Noe Barrios and Robert Masson at the Yuma County Cooperative Extension.
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New Invasive U.S. Cotton Insects TrainingThis training report summarizes a tri-lateral series of educational sessions conducted in August–September 2025 to strengthen early detection and response capacity against two invasive insect pests threatening U.S. cotton production: the two-spot cotton leafhopper (Amrasca biguttula) and the cotton seed bug (Oxycarenus hyalinipennis). Hosted collaboratively by the Arizona Cotton Research and Protection Council, Mexican partners in Mexicali, and the University of Arizona’s Yuma Agricultural Center, these sessions engaged frontline inspectors, supervisors, and pest control advisors in recognizing diagnostic features, understanding pest biology, and assessing potential impacts. The program combined high-quality images, citizen science records (iNaturalist), and preserved specimens to enhance accurate field identification and to distinguish target species from common look-alikes. Distribution updates highlighted the rapid spread of A. biguttula from Florida into the U.S. Cotton Belt and the establishment of O. hyalinipennis in California. Training outcomes confirmed participants’ ability to identify both pests in adult and immature stages, supporting regional preparedness and coordinated response efforts. This initiative underscores the importance of proactive education and cross-border collaboration in managing invasive threats to cotton production systems.
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Eco-Efficiency in Arizona Cotton: Successful, Safer IPMThis publication highlights Arizona cotton’s remarkable progress in integrating eco-efficiency into pest management. By quantifying productivity relative to environmental impact, eco-efficiency serves as a powerful tool to track and communicate improvements in both economic returns and ecological stewardship. Over the past 30 years, Arizona cotton growers have achieved up to 1,000-fold increases in eco-efficiency by adopting selective insecticides, biotechnology, and targeted IPM strategies. This resource introduces the concept, its calculation, and its relevance to stakeholders, offering a clear framework for understanding and promoting sustainable cotton production. Arizona cotton’s story—one of transformation through stewardship, selectivity, and sustainability—reminds us that we are all storytellers, and by sharing this journey of eco-efficiency and progress, we help preserve its legacy and inspire a more sustainable future.
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Telling Our Cotton Success Story: Stewardship, Selectivity, and SafetyThis brief highlights the historical and ongoing success of Arizona’s cotton industry through the lens of integrated pest management (IPM). Built on decades of collaboration between growers, PCAs, researchers, and extension agents, Arizona’s cotton IPM program has led the nation in reducing insecticide use while maintaining productivity and profitability. The story illustrates the power of stakeholder-driven science and the importance of sustaining collective efforts to adapt to new pest pressures and regulatory challenges.
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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.
