An “attract & control” product, based on the USDA – ARS invention of the “bait stick” technology, in boll weevil control, prevention, suppression and eradication programs is expanding in use in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Paraguay. In many countries, the utilization of transgenic cotton has resulted in an greater interest in the “bait stick” technology.

The “bait stick” (known as the BWACT in the USA, the Tubo Mata Bicudo or TMB in Brazil and the Tubo Mata Picudo or TMP in Spanish speaking Latin America) has been successfully used in IPM Programs for more than 15 years in Central America and for about 11 years in Brazil. In national cotton programs, it has been sporadically deployed for 11 years in Paraguay (in program acres varying from 500,000 to 850,000 acres) and in Colombia for 8 years (annually in about 100,000 program acres). For 12 years, the country of Argentina has successfully used pheromone traps and TMPs as part of their National Program to detect, eradicate and prevent the establishment of boll weevils in their major cotton zones (currently in about 875,000 program acres) and in Bolivia, a similar program is in its third year of implementation.

The “Bait Stick” or TMB/TMP usage in the national and/or regional area wide programs and in IPM programs in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia and Paraguay has been demonstrated as a viable alternative, preventive approach for managing the boll weevil. Where used correctly, as a complement to production practices, the boll weevil has been removed from the production scheme, populations have been reduced by 95+%, seed cotton yields have been increased an average of 350 lbs. per acre and the requirements for massive insecticide usage for boll weevil control have been substantially reduced. When used according to Plato Industries recommendations, the TMB/TMP, as an additive to IPM programs, has greatly contributed to the elimination of economic damage from boll weevils at an approximate per acre cost of $8.80 per crop cycle and resulted in an average “cost to benefit” ratio of “$1 to $12”.

TMB/TMP Product improvements and results from the aforementioned programs are presented herein.

Index terms: Anthonomus grandis, boll weevil eradication, BWACT, Grandlure.