The boll weevil in Missouri : history, biology and management
Abstract
"The cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis, was the most important pest of cotton in much of America's Cotton Belt. Fortunately, it was eradicated in the United States by a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program in cooperation with state agencies and cotton farmers. In Missouri, the eradication started in 2001 and lasted seven years. The weevil's importance was due not only to the considerable damage it does but also to its disruption of management programs that target other pests. High numbers of boll weevils caused repeated insecticide applications during the growing season because the boll weevil went through several overlapping generations during every crop season, reproduced quickly, moved often and could be controlled with insecticides only during its adult stage. Applying insecticides reduced populations of organisms that regulate the populations of other cotton pests, such as aphids, plant bugs and the bollworm complex. The presence of significant boll weevil populations dictated, to some extent, the management of other pests."--First page.
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Archive version. For the most recent information see extension.missouri.edu.
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