Roger Leonard, LSU Agricultural Center, 212 Macon Ridge Rd, Winnsboro, LA 71295
Successful management of cotton arthropod pests across the US cotton belt is a complex and difficult task. A broad spectrum of primary and secondary pests currently exists in every cotton production region. In any given season, the costs of pest management strategies may represent a large component of the overall production expenses for cotton. Those producers who experience annual and persistent infestations of one or more pests usually rely on agricultural consultants to provide information on the most appropriate and cost effective management strategies. Many of those decisions concerning arthropod pest management must consider the interactions of multiple disciplines including those for plant protection (entomology, weed science, plant pathology), crop production (agronomy, engineering), and business (agricultural economics). A series of Best Management Practices (BMP’s) for cotton production that respects the contributions of these disciplines has been developed to aid the producer and the agricultural consultant in their decision-making process.
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