text: This document is part of a larger publication and is subject to the disclaimers and copyright of the full version from which it was extracted. The remaining parts and full version of the publication, as well as updates and copyright and other legal information can be found at: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/field/field-crops/fibres/cotton/cotton-pest-management-guide Cotton Industry Biosecurity Plan – identify the highest risk pests from overseas (threat identification and analysis); Compiled by Sharyn Taylor, Plant Health Australia; – guard the industry against exotic pests (risk Susan Maas and Cherie Gambley, Department of mitigation activities); Employment, Economic Development and Innovation; – know when an exotic pest has arrived Lewis Wilson CSIRO and Greg Kauter, Cotton (surveillance) and identify it (diagnostics); and Australia . – deal with exotic pests if they are found In 2009, Plant Health Australia (PHA), Cotton (contingency plans). Australia Ltd and the Cotton Industry Biosecurity To date, 12 key organisms have been identified as Group reviewed the Cotton Industry Biosecurity threats to the industry based on the economic risk Plan (IBP). This plan, originally released in 2006 they present should they become established in was formulated by industry, state and federal Australia. At this stage, only invertebrate pests an governments and Plant Health Australia to assist with identification of biosecurity priorities and diseases have been identified as threats although allocation of resources to critical areas and the weeds may be revisited at future reviews. generation of strategies to maximise adoption of A copy of Version 2 of the Cotton IBP will be recommended practices and awareness of new available from the PHA website biosecurity section biosecurity threats. from December 2009. WHY DOES THE AUSTRALIAN COTTON HOW HAVE THE PEST AND DISEASE INDUSTRY NEED A BIOSECURITY PLAN? THREATS BEEN DETERMINED? Australia's geographic isolation has meant that The relative importance of potential pest problems it is relatively free of many pests that cause have been ranked by experts in the IBG by significant problems for cotton production overseas. estimating the level of threat associated with the Maintaining Australia's freedom from these exotic probability of the pest's entry into Australia, factors pests will help ensure the future profitability, influencing the pest's establishment and spread, the sustainability and marketability of Australian difficulty of identification and/or eradication, as cotton. well as the likely impacts of the pest on production Industry biosecurity aims to minimise risks posed and market access. by exotic organisms. For this to be effective it relies on the involvement of all stakeholders – including FARM BIOSECURITY growers, industry, government agencies and the Cotton growers are the key to protecting Australian public. Through the IBP the cotton industry has in cotton crops from exotic insects and diseases. place procedures to: Growers should look out for unusual crop Cotton growers are the key to protecting Australia's crops from exotic insects and diseases like cotton leaf curl virus. It is important that you are aware of the risk, and if you spot anything unusual on your crop you should always check it out and call your local entomologist, pathologist or the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881. The call is free (except from mobiles) and early detection will help protect your industry. Visit www.planthealthaustralia.com.au for further information. AUSTRALIAN COTTON GROWERS RESEARCH ASSOCIATION INC. This project has received funding from the Australian Government through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Image courtesy CSIRO LOOK. BE ALERT. CALL AN EXPERT. 1800 084 881 24 symptoms and implement practices that prevent or – more rapid implementation of new management minimise pest incursions. practices if eradication is not possible. Good farm hygiene – come clean, go clean – should While AQIS has strict controls for the introduction of be practiced on all farms regardless of whether cotton plants and seeds at the border, many of these pests or diseases are present. Pest control based on pests are small or difficult to see. There is still a chance thorough monitoring will not only minimise the of their accidental introduction as hitchhikers, such impact of pests on your crop but can also minimise as in packing material or in soil or plants in poorly the spread of an exotic pest before their presence is cleaned machinery and equipment. Some pests can known or after they are identified. Diseases can be also arrive on people's clothing, boots and hair or in spread by animals, people and machinery so farm accidentally or deliberately undeclared plant material. Biosecurity hygiene and restricting unnecessary people and vehicle movement around the farm will prevent Surveillance for several exotic pathogens is disease spread. Volunteers and some weeds can undertaken as part of routine assessment of cotton harbour pests and diseases. Controlling weeds field trials by I&I NSW, QPI&F and cotton breeding in non-crop areas around the farm reduces the programs. potential for pest and disease build up. Visits to farms overseas should be declared on re- REPORTINg UNUSUAL PESTS entry to Australia. Prior to returning to Australia, Any unusual plant pest should be reported wash all clothes and foot wear as well as hair which immediately to your Department of Primary may carry fungal spores. Industry (DPI) or by ringing the Exotic Plant Pest To assist provide information on Farm Biosecurity Hotline. Early reporting enhances the chance of measures, PHA, in conjunction with Animal effective control and eradication. It is important to Health Australia, has initiated the Farm Biosecurity note that suspect material should not be moved or Program, which brings together a range of practices collected without seeking advice from the DPI as that to keep crops free of pests. For further incorrect handling could spread the pest or render information visit farmbiosecurity.com.au. samples unsuitable for identification. SURVEILLANCE IN THE COTTON INDUSTRY HOW CAN WE LEARN MORE? A major part of implementing the Cotton IBP More information about prevention and control of and Farm Biosecurity measures is surveillance for pests and diseases can be found on the Cotton CRC exotic plant pests. The key aim of surveillance is for website at www.cottoncrc.org.au detection of pests as early as possible. The benefits Further information on cotton industry biosecurity of early detection of a new pest to the cotton activities please contact Greg Kauter (02) 9669 5222 industry will be: or go to www.cottonaustralia.com.au/research/ – an increased chance that eradication or containment biosecurity/ within a limited area will be successful; To view the Australian Cotton Industry Biosecurity – reduced cost to industry and the surrounding Plan visit: www.planthealthaustralia.com.au/ community if eradication or containment can be achieved; and Phone the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881. 25 Exotic pests and diseases of greatest INDIAN gREEN JASSID (amraSca threat to Australian cotton DeveSTanS) Indian green jassid is a sap-sucking insect pest that COTTON BOLL WEEVIL (anTHomonuS can cause yield losses of up to 25%. While several granDIS) 'jassid' species are found in Australian cotton the Cotton boll weevil is specific to cotton and causes damage they cause is relatively minor, rarely if ever large yield losses due to damage to developing bolls affecting yield. Green jassids inject a toxin as they and subsequent reduction in lint production. In the feed that causes leaves and bolls to drop and can USA, control of cotton boll weevil using insecticides stunt plant growth. Elsewhere green jassids can be costs hundreds of millions of dollars. managed using resistant varieties and insecticides. Hairy-leafed varieties are used in parts of Africa and the sub-continent where cotton is hand harvested to provide effective resistance against green jassids. Such varieties are not suitable for mechanical harvest as the leaf hairs cause excessive leaf trash in the cotton lint. Boll weevil (Jack Kelly Clark, University of California, www.ipm.ucdavis.edu) SPIDER MITES (TETRANYCHID MITES) Indian green jassid (Industry & Investment NSW) Spider mites are in the group that includes ticks. They TARNISHED PLANT BUg (LyguS LIneoLarIS) feed on the undersides of leaves, sucking out the The tarnished plant bug is a pest of over 250 plant cell contents. Their damage causes a characteristic species. In cotton, its feeding causes seed abortion, bronzing of leaves, and if uncontrolled can stem or leaf wilting and poor seed germination. dramatically reduce yield and fibre quality. Several It has 2–5 generations per year and can therefore species are found in Australian cotton, the most quickly build up to high levels. common of which is the two-spotted spider mite. However, overseas there are a range of other species that have different host preferences, cause more severe damage or have resistance to some of our key acaricides. Adult female carmine spider mite, Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Jack Clark, University of California, Lygus bug (Jack Kelly Clark, University of California, www.ipm.ucdavis.edu) www.ipm.ucdavis.edu) 26 WHITEFLY (BemISIa TaBacI B-TYPE OR varieties, with a lag of several years before adapted Q-TYPE) varieties were available. Whitefly feeding results in a sticky residue, sooty moulds, reduced boll size and poor lint quality. COTTON LEAF CURL DISEASE (CLCUD) Although the B-type whitefly is present in Australia CLCuD, sometimes referred to as Gemini virus, can there is a risk of other B-type strains and other cause yield losses of up to 35% in cotton. It is spread biotypes, e.g. Q-type, entering the country with by a whitefly vector. There are at least seven different different insecticide resistance profiles. Whiteflies begomoviruses and several different DNA satellite are also vectors of damaging exotic viruses such as molecules associated with CLCuD. A cotton plant cotton leaf curl disease. needs to be infected with at least one begomovirus Biosecurity and one satellite to develop CLCuD. Symptoms of CLCuD are seen on leaves and initially appear as a swelling and darkening of leaf veins, followed by a deep downward cupping of the youngest leaves then either an upward or downward curling of the leaf margins. Leaf-like structures (enations) on the veins are common and vary in size from only a few millimetres in diameter to almost the size of a normal leaf. These larger structures are often cup-shaped. Bemisia tabaci B-type (Neil Forester) MELON APHID (apHIS goSSIpyI ExOTIC STRAINS) Aphids damage cotton by feeding on young leaves and bolls which can reduce yield. They produce a sticky residue that can cover leaves resulting in reduced photosynthesis and contamination of lint as bolls open, reducing the crop's value. This species may also carry exotic diseases such as blue disease. As well as the risk of disease, there is a risk that new aphid strains entering the country will have different insecticide resistance profiles, making control more difficult. Leaf Curl Disease (Cherie Gambley, QPIF) FUSARIUM WILT (FuSarIum oxySporum F. Sp. vaSInFecTum – ExOTIC STRAINS) Fusarium wilt is a fungal disease. Strains of Fusarium were identified in Australia in 1993 however the introduction of new strains (races) would increase the difficulty of management as new resistant varieties would be required. External symptoms can appear in the crop at any stage but most commonly appear in either the seedling phase or after flowering when bolls are filling. Leaves appear dull and wilted before Melon Aphid (Lewis Wilson, CSIRO) yellowing or browning progresses to eventual death VERTICILIUM WILT – DEFOILATINg STRAINS from the top of the plant. Seedlings may either wilt Australian strains of Verticilium wilt are described and die or survive, but often with stunted growth. as mild in comparison to the defoliating stratins that Adult plants may wilt and die, especially under originated in North America but are now becoming conditions of stress. Some affected plants may more widespread. If established in Australia, re-shoot from the base of the stem. Lengthwise management would be reliant on the use of resistant cutting of the stem from affected plants will show 27 continuous brown discolouration of the tissue. (CLRDV) and has similarities with cotton bunchy The internal discolouration is similar to that of top, anthocyanosis and cotton leaf roll. It is not Verticillium wilt but usually appears as continuous known if the same pathogen causes all these diseases browning rather than flecks. Sometimes the or if there are multiple pathogens causing similar discolouration is visible in only one side of the symptoms. CLRDV was not detected from Australian stem. External symptoms do not always reflect the cotton affected by cotton bunchy top disease. Cotton blue disease affected leaves tend to be smaller, thick, extent of discolouration in the stem. more brittle and leathery and have an intense green to bluish colour with yellow veins. Reddening of stem petioles and leaf veins can occur in some infections. Leaf edges tend to roll downwards and under and plants become stunted due to a shortening of the branch internodes and produce many branches, giving a bunchy zig-zag stem habit. Symptoms are more obvious in plants infected at an early age and stunting is more pronounced. Infected plants also produce smaller bolls and boll shed may occur. Single infected plants can be overlooked if overgrown by nearby healthy plants. BACTERIAL BLIgHT (xANTHOMONAS AxONOPODIS OR x. campeSTrIS PV Fusarium wilt causing vascular discolouration and root MAVACEARUM – ExOTIC STRAINS) knots caused by nematodes. (Chris Anderson, I&I NSW) Although strains of bacterial blight are already TExAS ROOT ROT (pHymaToTrIcHopSIS present in Australia, they are no longer a problem omnIvore) due to varietal resistance. Exotic strains (races) occur, however, that are 'hypervirulent' and, if Texas root rot is an extremely damaging fungal disease established in Australia, would cause large yield with a wide host range. It causes sudden death of losses. The disease is seed borne allowing easy affected plants, usually during the warmer months. In dispersal and introduction of new races into new cotton, infection can result in 100% crop loss. If this areas. Bacterial blight is spread by high temperature, disease became established in Australia, control would humidity and rainfall. be extremely difficult as management using rotations The initial symptoms include the undersides of leaves and fungicides is usually only partially effective. have angular water soaked lesions. Lesions dry and Symptoms include yellowing or bronzing of leaves, darken with age then leaves are shed. Black lesions leaves wilt and die; dead leaves usually remain on spread along stem. Bolls often infected at base or tip. plant. At this stage, roots are dead and surface is Lesions dry out and prevent the boll opening. The covered with network of tan fungal strands. pathogen is capable of symptomless transfer and therefore could be undetected through quarantine. Symptoms include yellowing or bronzing of leaves, leaves wilt and die; dead leaves usually remain on plant. At this stage, roots are dead and surface is covered with network of tan fungal strands. Texas Root (Chris Anderson, I&I NSW) BLUE DISEASE Blue disease is a virus specific to cotton that can reduce yield potential by up to 20%. It is spread by a vector, the cotton aphid. It has been associated with plants infected with cotton leaf roll dwarf virus Blue Disease (Ivan Bonacic INTA – EEA Sáenz Peña) 28 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Objective 1. growing a healthy crop guidelines for Australian cotton II This objective covers the key issues for good crop Lewis Wilson and Sandra Deutscher, CSIRO; Robert agronomy and highlights how they interact with Mensah and Annie Johnson, formerly Industry & IPM. Investment NSW. Crop management can affect IPM. Growing These guidelines are a brief version of the Integrated a healthy cotton crop optimises both its yield Pest Management Guidelines for Australian Cotton potential and capacity to compensate for pest II. For more details on any of the following pages damage. In irrigated cotton, a healthy crop begins please contact the Australian Cotton Research with good field preparation, soil moisture and Institute for a copy of the IPM Guidelines II. plant establishment. Poor fertiliser or irrigation management can delay crop maturity and increase WHAT IS IPM? the length of time that the crop requires protection IPM involves using all means of managing pest from pests, which can potentially increase populations with the aim of reducing insecticide use insecticide resistance selection. whilst maintaining profitability (yield, fibre quality and crop maturity). IPM is a whole year approach to Field selection managing pests. This includes management of pests When selecting fields for planting cotton consider through the cotton growing season, and through the proximity to sensitive areas such as watercourses, remainder of the year as well. For instance, decisions pastures, buildings, and the prevailing wind made in the autumn and winter can have a lasting direction. Bollgard II® varieties may be appropriate IPM for fields near sensitive areas. Another consideration impact on pest management throughout the year. would be the proximity of these cotton fields to WHY DO WE NEED TO DEVELOP IPM other crops or orchards which can potentially act as PROgRAMS? a source for secondary pests such as mites, aphids or whitefly. Pest resistant varieties should be kept Over-reliance on synthetic insecticides creates together, such as Bollgard II® or okra leaf types, problems, such as insecticide resistance of the rather than mixing them with other varieties. This major pests (particularly H. armigera), disruption reduces the chance of sprays applied to conventional of natural enemies of the pests leading to outbreaks fields disrupting fields that do not need spraying at of secondary pests such as mites, aphids or whitefly that time. and other environmental consequences. These problems have cast doubt over the long-term Seed bed preparation viability of the traditional insecticide dominated A tactic often mentioned by cotton growers approach to pest management. in achieving an early crop is a good seed-bed, A major goal for the cotton industry is to reduce typified by friable, non-cloddy soil and firm, high, dependence on foliar and soil applied insecticides. well-shaped beds. This helps achieve vigorous, This can be achieved by developing an IPM healthy, early growth that tolerates seedling program that integrates a range of pro-active disease better and achieves early crop maturity management tactics, especially the conservation and and high yield potential. High beds also reduce use of natural enemies (predators and parasites) to the risk of waterlogging by encouraging good control pests. drainage. Planting cotton into standing stubble HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT IPM? (wheat, sorghum) may offer some benefit in IPM involves integrating a range of tools and terms of soil condition, insect management and strategies for managing pests. These can be water infiltration. For more information see the conveniently grouped in seven main objectives: publication Planting cotton in standing wheat 1. Growing a healthy crop stubble, available from the Cotton CRC web site 2. Keeping track of insects and damage www.cottoncrc.org.au 3. Preserving beneficial insects Selecting a variety 4. Preventing insecticide resistance The cotton varieties planted should be matched to 5. Managing crop and weed hosts the region and likely pests and diseases (see seed 6. Using trap crops effectively company variety guides or websites). Select a variety 7. Communication and training that suits the growing region in terms of length of These objectives are explained below and there is a season. This will benefit the maturity timing of the Seasonal activity plan for IPM in Table 5 on page 46. crop which in turn will benefit fibre quality and 29 defoliation as well as reducing the exposure to late finish dates of their 42 day window. Details of this season pest attack. Shorter season varieties may process can be found on page 63. also be considered as the shorter growing period reduces the time the crop needs to be protected Optimising earliness from pest damage. Okra-leaf varieties have a degree Although managing a crop for earliness is a good of resistance to Helicoverpa spp., spider mites and strategy, it does not always maximise yield. For silverleaf whitefly, which can potentially reduce the more information on managing for early maturity, control needed for each pest by about one spray per refer to the Integrated Pest Management Booklet – season. Penetration of insecticides into the crop Objective 1. Manage the crop for early maturity in canopy is better with okra leaf cultivars, which can the Australian Cotton Industry Best Management contribute to better control. Practices Manual. In areas following a wet winter or in fields with Optimising water and nitrogen poor weed control, the risk of early season aphids increases. It may be advantageous to plant a Cotton Adequate water and nutrition will ensure healthy Bunchy Top (CBT) resistant variety. This would growth of plants that are more tolerant of pests reduce the need to control aphids at low densities to and diseases. Too much nitrogen creates excessive prevent the spread of CBT therefore also reducing cotton growth toward the end of the season and the risk of selecting for insecticide resistant aphids. perhaps even the need for an extra irrigation. This makes the crop more attractive to pests, requiring Bollgard II® cotton is ideally suited to IPM as the additional inputs of insecticides (and mixtures of level of control of Helicoverpa spp. provided by the insecticides) for control, and application of high plant is usually sufficient to dramatically reduce the rates of growth regulators to retard growth. Too need to spray for this pest or other lepidopteran much nitrogen also undermines the effectiveness pests such as tipworm, especially early season. of the last generation trap crop by maintaining the attractiveness of cotton relative to the trap crop. Planting window Defoliation can also be more difficult and regrowth In each cotton region there is a period when soil may harbour aphids. temperatures become suitable for cotton germination, 14°C minimum at planting depth. Planting at this time growth regulators usually maximises plant establishment and avoids the Excessive vegetative growth is a problem because it risk of cold shock (night temperature < 12°C). Cold reduces the retention of fruit and delays maturity. shock slows early growth and reduces tolerance to Rank growth of plants also results in reduced herbicides, seedling diseases and early pests, especially efficacy of insecticides due to poor penetration of thrips. Very late planted cotton has less yield potential the canopy. and is more susceptible to pests such as whitefly and Optimal irrigation scheduling and nitrogen late season infestations of H. armigera both of which rates will generally prevent excessive vegetative are difficult and expensive to control. growth, apart from during hot growing conditions. Coordinating planting in a region to a specified Appropriate use of growth regulators can help to window avoids a wide spread of crop maturation, reduce the likelihood of a rank crop that will not especially very late crops that require pest control cut-out. Consult the guidelines published by the cotton seed companies to see if growth regulators over a prolonged period. Avoiding prolonged are required. insecticide use helps manage insecticide resistance as it reduces the number of generations of the pest Growth regulators are also used at or near cut-out, that are exposed to insecticides, therefore reducing to reduce the amount of fresh regrowth and the attractiveness of the crop. This strategy is used to the selection pressure for resistant pests. lessen the likelihood of late pest infestations and Planting windows are critical to the success of area- reduce the number of late season sprays. wide management strategies. In areas susceptible to See Cotton Seed Distributors (www.csd.net.au) whitefly, coordinated planting windows can provide calculating vegetative growth rates to determine a period free from host crops to reduce population crop needs. build up as well as preventing late crops. The 42 day planting window for Bollgard II® cotton is a critical Final irrigation component of the resistance managmenet plan. In The timing of the last irrigation aims to ensure that specific circumstances growers in a region can apply boll maturity is completed without water stress, to the APVMA for a variation in the nominated start/ and at the same time prevent the occurrence of lush 30 vegetative growth in crops late in the season to avoid MONITORINg PESTS AND BENEFICIALS the crop being attractive to the Helicoverpa spp. and Types of sampling techniques other pests such as aphids and whitefly. Regular Visual sampling: This involves looking at the entire assessment of crop maturity will allow the dates of plant, including under leaves, along stems, in last irrigation and defoliation to be predicted. squares and around bolls. Defoliation Beat sheet sampling: A sheet of yellow canvas 1.5 m × 2 m in size is placed in the furrow and extended The timing of defoliation can be an important up and over the adjacent row of cotton. A metre IPM tool, as late pest infestation problems can stick is used to beat the plants 10 times against the sometimes be overcome by a successful defoliation. beat sheet, moving from the base to the tops of the The safe timing of defoliation is when the youngest plants. Insects are dislodged from the plants onto boll expected to reach harvest is physiologically the canvas and are quickly recorded. This method is mature. This usually occurs when 60–65% of difficult to use when the field and plants are wet. bolls are open. The other method of assessing physiological maturity is when there are 3–4 nodes of first position bolls above the highest cracked first position boll (last harvestable boll), known as nodes above cracked boll (NACB). Objective 2. keeping track of insects and damage IPM The purpose of crop monitoring is to determine: • the pest(s) present • the level of infestation • the damage they are causing • the level of beneficial insects • expected response to control options • environmental conditions • the growth stage of the crop This information provides the basis on which pest management decisions are made. Check frequently Crops should be checked frequently for pests, beneficials and for damage and fruit retention. Regular and frequent checking provides an overview of what is happening in a field in relation to pest and beneficials abundance and development. For more detailed information on checking frequency see 'Key insect and mite pests of Australian cotton' on pages 1–15. It is generally not possible to make a decision about whether control is needed based on just one check. The decision making system needs to be flexible to allow for the action of beneficials and natural mortality to occur between checks, without the pest population developing to a stage where control is impractical or too expensive. Insect numbers should be recorded either as numbers per metre or as a percentage of plants infested to easily compare numbers with the appropriate industry threshold and to allow a predator to prey or pest ratio to be determined. 31 D-vac sampling can be used as an alternative to visual The Trichogramma spp. wasps are egg parasitoids checking to sample beneficial insects and spiders. capable of causing high mortality of Helicoverpa spp. in crops. The wasp kills its host by laying an egg Sweep net sampling: This method can be used as an inside a Helicoverpa spp. egg. The resulting wasp alternative to the beat sheet when the field is wet. larva then feeds on the developing Helicoverpa spp. Sweep netting is an effective method for sampling flighty insects such as mirids, and each sample larva killing it before it hatches. consists of 20 sweeps along a single row of cotton The most accurate way to monitor egg parasitism using a standard (380 mm) sweep net. by Trichogramma spp. is to collect brown eggs and Comparison of methods: A recent study has shown keep them at room temperature (about 25°C) until that Helicoverpa spp., whitefly, mites, aphids, thrips they hatch (healthy) or turn black (parasitised). and apple dimpling bug nymphs were best sampled Collecting white eggs gives an under-estimate visually, while the beat sheets were superior for of parasitism because they may have just been the majority of other insects and spiders and the laid and not had sufficient time to be found by sweep net is particularly useful for sampling flighty Trichogramma spp.. insects such as mirid adults. Once the crop reaches Monitoring levels of larval parasitism 9–10 nodes, beat sheets can detect about 3 times There are no obvious external signs on larvae the number of insects compared to visual sampling. parasitised by Microplitis spp., but medium larvae Sweep nets can detect about 3 times the number (13–15 mm in length) can be split to reveal if the of mirid adults as visual sampling, although only internal parasitoid larva is present. This is a simple 1.6 times the number of mirid nymphs. These differences must be kept in mind when using the procedure and can provide useful information predator to pest ratio or pest threshold, as they are about the potential survival of medium larvae. based on visual counts. Bollgard ll® sampling and management Refuge crops Bollgard II® cotton must be monitored regularly for pests and fruit retention, similar to conventional Sampling of lucerne strips or other refugia crops cotton. Consecutive checks are essential for making to assess predator abundance should use a similar decisions about managing Helicoverpa spp. in method but d-vac sampling is the most appropriate Bollgard II® crops, as the Bt toxin needs to be and fastest method to assess beneficial insect ingested before the larvae is controlled. Hence if the populations in lucerne. larvae population is over the threshold on a given How much to check check, then chances are that a large proportion of these will ingest the toxin and die before the next Fields are rarely uniform in crop growth and check. Bollgard II® does not control a range of pests, attractiveness to insects. Lush areas, such as near the especially green mirids which must be monitored to head ditch, are more attractive to insects. Awareness assess if the population will cause yield loss. of such areas and their size helps you to determine how many sample points are required in a crop. MONITORINg PLANT DAMAgE Visual sampling: Check at least 30 plants or 3 to 4 It is important to include an assessment of plant separate metres of cotton per 50 ha. damage when making pest management decisions Beat sheet sampling: Preliminary studies indicate because insect numbers alone may not give an that you need to beat at least 8–10 metres per field. accurate indication of the need for control. Cotton plants can recover from a degree of damage, Sweep net sampling: Preliminary studies indicate that especially early season damage with no reduction in you need to take at least 6 sweep net samples per field. yield or delay in maturity. A vigorous, healthy crop Note: Increasing the number of samples usually can tolerate more damage from pests, without yield increases the level of accuracy. For some pest or maturity being affected, than a crop with poor species there are specific recommendations, see vigour (as a result of herbicide damage or water stress pages 1–15. for example). Plant monitoring in conjunction with regular insect Monitoring levels of egg parasitism monitoring allows an assessment of the effects of It is also important to consider natural levels of mirids or other pests that might be difficult to detect Helicoverpa spp. parasitism caused by parasitoids in regular sampling. Plant monitoring can assist in such as Trichogramma spp. and Telenomus spp. decision making where pest levels are just below 32 threshold or where there are combinations of pests 1. Leaf loss (up to the 6 true leaf growth stage) present. Acceptable damage levels will vary depending 2. Tip damage on yield expectations and climatic conditions. 3. Fruit retention or fruiting factor 4. Boll damage. Fruit load, yield and maturity Fruit load is a key aspect in determining crop yield Crop Development Tool (CDT) and maturity. The loss of fruit during squaring and The CDT (formerly the Early Season Diagnostic tool) early flowering is less critical to yield than fruit is a web based calculator that helps to determine loss later in the season. It is well documented that whether the rate of crop development is meeting excessive early fruit loss can delay final maturity. its potential. Using the CDT, the development However, it is also known that holding too much of squaring nodes, vegetative growth rate, fruit fruit can reduce crop growth, as the plants use development and nodes above white flower can their resources to fill the bolls they have set rather each be tracked to assist with crop management than continuing to grow and set more fruit. This is referred to as premature cut-out which results in reduced yield potential. Dynamic thresholds Decisions about pest control should take into account both pest numbers and plant fruit load. If retention data indicates that fruit load is too low IPM then it may be necessary to lower the pest threshold. There are several causes of low fruit retention and it is important to identify the problem before action is taken. Low retention could be caused by cool weather, waterlogging, water stress or pests. The combined damage of several pests, each below threshold, may also cause low retention. Reduce pest thresholds to half the standard level and control those pests exceeding the reduced threshold using the most selective option available. As retention recovers, return to standard pest thresholds. Alternatively, if retention is too high then it may be necessary to raise the pest threshold. This will allow some pest damage and help balance the vegetative and fruit development. This will also avoid yield loss due to premature cut-out. Such an approach treats the pest threshold as dynamic, that is, it varies according to how the plant fruit load is developing. Check regularly From the first week of squaring, monitor plant damage at least every 7 days and/or before spray decisions. It is important to monitor the level of fruit loss regularly so that measures can be taken before insect damage becomes excessive. What to check Count a metre of plants (not random plants) in 3 to 4 locations per field. If the crop is uneven increase the number of checks. Do not use the same metre of plants for insect checks. Damage monitoring includes: 33 decisions. The user enters real crop data as the season bolls (/m) plotted against a potential rate of fruit progresses. The tool displays this in graphical and development based on the day degree accumulation tabular formats alongside theoretical potential or after sowing. An example is shown in Figure 2. optimum. Decisions relating to insect thresholds, Potential square development commences at 500 growth regulation, nutrition and irrigation DD and boll development at 750 DD (first flower). scheduling can all be aided by a clear understanding The slopes of the boll and square development lines of how crop development is progressing. are not parallel as the tool assumes that there is some loss of fruit due to carbon stress, normal in The CDT incorporates a data storage function that crop growth (not pest, nutritional or water stress). allows multiple crops to be set up by each user and accessed by an individual logon and password.To In Figure 2 the real crop is tracking ahead of use the CDT tool go to the Cotton CRC website; schedule. This can occur under optimum growing www.cottoncrc.org.au conditions. Nutrition and water should be monitored closely as this crop is likely to experience high, early Development of squaring nodes demands that could rapidly induce cut-out. For most Australian cotton varieties it is expected that the first fruiting branch will develop on about Nodes above white flower (NAWF) the seventh mainstem node. This becomes the first At the time of first flower, there should be about squaring node. On a well grown crop, by the time of 8 squaring nodes above the flower, or 8 NAWF. first flower (~750 DD) there will be about 8 squaring The bolls produced on these fruiting branches will nodes. Fewer than 8 will often reduce yield potential. contribute a large proportion of final yield. Once boll Measuring squaring nodes can provide early set commences and the crop is alocating resources to indication of stress in time for remedial action. Once the developing fruit, the rate at which the crop can flowering commences it may be too late to recover. produce more squaring nodes is in decline. Figure 1 shows the accumulation of sqauring nodes In Figure 1 the rate of decline in NAWF for the real from the CDT between ~500 and ~800 DD. A real crop is consistent with the optimum. Very high crop to the left of the theoretical line is generally early retention can cause the number of NAWF to ahead in development. This could be due to low decline more quickly. For crops tracking below the fruit retention, in which case pest thresholds should line, consider increasing pest thresholds. Crops be reconsidered and the vegetative growth rate above the line may have experienced physiological measured. Measurements below the line indicate shedding or early boll loss due to pests, in which development has been delayed, perhaps by factors case thresholds may need to be reduced. Once there such as seedling disease or herbicide damage. are 4 or fewer NAWF, the crop is said to be 'cut- Resources such as nutrition and water should be out'. This signifies that the crop has ceased putting monitored closely. resources into further vegetative growth and that yield potential is dependent on the retention of fruit Fruit Development already produced. It is important to ensure that crop growth translates into fruit production at a rate that will help to attain Vegetative Growth Rate (VGR) a profitable yield. The CDT's fruit development The plant growth regulator mepiquat chloride graph displays the number of observed squares or provides growers with a method to help avoid Figure 1. An example of tracking a crop's accumulation of squaring nodes and then the decline Figure 2. An example of tracking a crop's fruit in nodes above white flower from the CDT. development from the CDT. 34 excessive vegetative growth. The VGR tracks the Final retention at maturity rate of change in plant height relative to the rate of Boll numbers will vary according to variety, stage node development. Measurements should start as of growth and yield potential. At the end of the the crop approaches first flower and continue whilst season a crop will hold less than 50% of all possible squaring nodes are being produced. In Figure 3 fruiting sites. First position retention will vary from the upper and lower boundaries represent the zone 50–70%. Variety and boll size will also affect of desired vegetative growth rates across various final yield. regions and systems in Australia. Warmer regions Fruiting factor and very fertile soils will have higher VGRs. The Fruiting factors can be used throughout the season. real crop is tracking below the lower boundary They allow total fruit load to be monitored. Fruiting indicating that growth regulation is not required to factors should be used when first position retention maximise yield potential. falls below recommended levels (i.e. 50–60%), to First position fruit retention Monitoring first position fruit retention is a technique that is best used from squaring to early flowering. It is a quick way to estimate early signs of insect damage. • Count the first position fruit on either the top five or all the fruiting branches. The first fruiting branch is the top most branch where the first IPM position leaf is unfolded. • Monitor both tipped and non-tipped plants. • Monitor only the dominant stem, not vegetative branches (see Figure 4). • The percentage of first position fruit present should be calculated dividing the number of first position fruit present by the number of fruiting branches. Aim to have first position fruit retention of 50–60% by first flower. Low retention (< 50%) increases the risk that yield or crop maturity will be affected. However, very high fruit retention, in excess of 80% may also be associated with a yield penalty. For the first five fruiting branches on the plant, first position fruit retention can be as low as 30% without affecting yield or maturity, however such levels should trigger close monitoring and a reduction in thresholds. Figure 3. An example of tracking a crop's vegetative growth rate from the CDT. 35 Figure 4. A technique for checking fruit retention A key period for measuring fruiting factors is at around early flowering. Values between 1.1 and 1.3 will provide optimum yield potential. Values less than 0.8 or greater than 1.5 can reduce yield. guide to using fruiting factors throughout the season Stage of growth Fruiting factor Pre flowering 0.8–1.0 Flowering 1.1–1.3 Peak Flowering 1.3–1.4 Boll maturity 1.0 guide to using fruiting factors at first flower Fruiting factor at first Impact on yield and maturity flower < 0.8 High risk of yield decline and maturity delay (particularly in cooler regions) 1.1–1.3 Optimum for yield > 1.5 Risk of premature cut out and yield decline. Objective 3. Preserving beneficial insects ensure excessive fruit loss has not occurred or in Predatory insects, spiders and parasitic insects situations where a crop is heavily tipped out and (beneficials) consume pests and other insects in retention is difficult to determine. order to develop and/or produce offspring. They can From 10–14 days after flowering, the monitoring of considerably reduce pest numbers thereby reducing first position fruit retention may be less relevant than the need to control pests using chemical insecticides. The abundance of beneficial insects is affected by fruit counts. The fruiting factor technique allows a food resources, mating partners, over wintering sites, rapid interpretation of the fruit counts. The technique shelter, climatic conditions and insecticide sprays. considers both fruit present and the number of For an IPM system to work, the conservation of fruiting branches (potential fruit development). beneficial insects is critical. This can be achieved To save time in monitoring the fruiting factor, only through the use or provision of natural or crop count first and second position fruit (squares and refuges (e.g. trees, pastures or lucerne strips). bolls), from the main stem and the first dominant In an IPM system which focuses on managing vegetative branch. In irrigated crops this should beneficials the following tools can be used; account for 90% of the fruit that will be picked. • Predator/Pest ratio To determine the fruiting factor for a crop, simply • Incorporating parasitoids into spray decisions divide the fruit count by the number of fruiting • Beneficial releases branches. • Food sprays Total fruit /m Fruiting factor = Total number of fruiting branches /m • Lucerne strips • Appropriate use of pesticides The ideal fruiting factor changes throughout the growing season. The fruiting factor will increase • Beneficial Disruption Index throughout flowering as the plants produce a large • Petroleum spray oils (PSO) mixed with a selective number of squares. As the crop matures there is a or biological pesticide. natural reduction in fruit numbers and the fruiting factor declines. Eventually, at maturity the fruiting guidelines for the predator to pest ratio factor approaches 1.0, which represents the natural The most common predators found in cotton farms maximum fruiting load that plants can carry feed on a wide range of pests and are therefore through to yield. classified as general predators. The guidelines 36 described here make use of a predator to pest ratio green vegetable bugs, aphids and whiteflies. These to incorporate the activity of the predators into the useful insects are easily overlooked because they pest management decisions. are often small or secretive. The predator to prey ratio calculation does not incorporate parasitoids Calculation of the predator to pest ratio: particularly Trichogramma spp. (egg parasitoid). For The predator to pest ratio is calculated as; determining parasitism see page 32. predators Beneficial insect to pest ratio Ratio = (Helicoverpa spp. eggs + VS + S) predators = where VS = very small and S = small larvae. The (eggs – (% parasitised) + VS + S) calculation does not include Helicoverpa medium The same decision making protocol above is used. (M) and large (L) larvae since many of the common predatory insects are not effective on these life stages. Conserving and enhancing parasitoids Maintaining habitat diversity. This can be achieved Total predators per metre (visual check) should by growing a mixture of crops. Sorghum, maize be used in calculating the predator to pest ratio. and sunflowers are all good nursery crops for However, to be confident in the ratio, at least three parasitoids. The capacity of sorghum and maize insects of the most common predators (ladybird to act as parasitoid nurseries can be extended by beetle, red and blue beetle, damsel bug, big eye growing staggered plantings. Some crops, such as bug, assassin bug, brown shield bug and lacewings) chickpea, are not good nursery crops because the should be present. acidic chickpea leaves are toxic to the adult wasps. Decision making protocol in conventional Restricting insecticide use. Natural populations IPM cotton and Bollgard II® crops of Trichogramma spp., Microplitis spp. and other Conventional crops parasitoids that may be in the crop can be encouraged Ratio Helicoverpa spp. Action to build up by restricting the use of insecticides that > 0.5 <2 Do nothing may reduce their population. This applies to nursery crops such as sorghum as well as in cotton. 0.4–0.5 < threshold Yeast based food spray might (mostly eggs) be applied. Releasing Trichogramma spp. 0.4–0.5 < threshold Sugar based food spray and Trichogramma spp. can be purchased and released (mostly larvae) biological insecticide or into crops. Two or more releases one week apart are Petroleum spray oil (see section on lucerne on the suggested. If possible, the best method is to release following page) the Trichogramma spp. into a nearby flowering < 0.4 > threshold Selective insecticide sorghum or maize crop rather than into cotton. This will provide the Trichogramma spp. with enough Bollgard II® crops Helicoverpa spp. eggs to carry over the population, The predator to pest threshold is essentially the given their very short life cycle. same as above with a slight addition. If in the guidelines for use of food sprays next check after a food, PSO or biological spray, Helicoverpa neonate numbers are above threshold: Food sprays cannot manage cotton pests on their own but combined with other IPM compatible tools Ratio Helicoverpa spp. Action they can help manage cotton pests and minimise Increasing ≥ threshold Repeat food /biological spray mixture synthetic insecticide use without sacrificing yield. No change or ≥ threshold Selective pesticide Commercially, there are two food spray products; 0.42–0.45 (possibly mix with PSO) 1. Yeast based food spray (Predfeed®) attracts 0.4 > threshold Selective pesticide beneficial insects and should be applied when a (possibly mix with PSO) cotton field does not have enough beneficial insects. 2. Sugar based food spray (Mobait®) retains For more information on the use of PSOs see the beneficials that are already present. Research Review 'Use of Petroleum Spray Oils to Manage Cotton Pests in IPM Programs' available Managing predators and mirids in lucerne from the Cotton CRC. If there are lucerne strips or a centrally located Incorporating parasitoids into spray decisions lucerne crop on the farm, then before applying a Parasitoids are important beneficials in Australian food spray / biological insecticide spray to the cotton, cotton farming systems. There are a range of check the lucerne strip or crop to determine numbers parasitic wasps and flies that attack Helicoverpa spp., of predators and adult green mirids. If beneficial 37 insect numbers are high in the lucerne strips Objective 4. compared to cotton and numbers of adult mirids in Preventing insecticide resistance the lucerne strips are low (< 5 per 20 metre d-vac sample), then slash half of each of the individual Resistance occurs when application of insecticides lucerne strips after applying the food spray/biological removes susceptible insects from a population insecticide mixture sprays to the cotton. This action leaving those individuals that are resistant. Mating will enhance the movement of a large number of between these resistant individuals gradually predators from the lucerne strips into the cotton, but increases the proportion of resistance in the pest will retain the mirids in the lucerne. population as a whole. Eventually this can render an insecticide ineffective, leading to field control failures. In contrast, if both predator and adult mirid numbers Resistance can be due to a trait that is already present in the lucerne strips are high (> 5 mirids per in a small portion of the pest population or due to a 20 metres), do not slash or mow the lucerne strips mutation that provides resistance. or blocks when a sugar based food spray/biological Management of resistance is essential to ensure that insecticide mixture spray has been applied to the valuable insecticides remain effective, the Australian cotton since this will force too many mirids into the cotton industry has developed the Insecticide cotton where they may cause damage. Resistance Management Strategy (IRMS). The IRMS is designed to prevent resistance development, while Appropiate use of insecticides managing existing resistance. Some core principles Tolerate non-economic early season damage used in the IRMS include; Minimising early season sprays helps to conserve • Rotation between chemical groups with different the beneficial insect population. The cotton plant modes of action. has the ability to tolerate a level of damage without • Limiting the time period during which an affecting yield or crop maturity. insecticide can be used. This restricts the number Site specific pest management of generations of a pest that can be selected in each Many beneficial species frequently move in and out season. of cotton, other crops and non-crop habitats. It is • Limiting the number of applications, thereby important to manage pests on a field by field basis restricting the number of selection events. or by a small management unit, not an entire farm. The IRMS 2009/10 appears on pages 52–55, with explanation and answers to many frequently asked Pests such as aphids or mites often infest the edge questions on pages 47–51. of a field, not the entire field area. It is possible to manage this type of infestation by only spraying the Resistance monitoring field borders. This enables the beneficial population to re-establish or re-build much faster. Resistance monitoring for Helicoverpa spp., two- spotted spider mites, aphids and silverleaf whitefly, Choose insecticides carefully is conducted each year by the cotton industry and Some insecticides have very little impact on provides the foundation for annual review and beneficial insects including parasitoids. updating of the IRMS. All growers and consultants The Beneficial Disruption Index (BDI) have access to this industry service to investigate The BDI provides a basis to measure or benchmark suspected cases of resistance. For the contact details the 'softness' or 'hardness' of an individual field's of the researchers running the resistance monitoring insecticide spray regime at the end of the season. projects, refer to the advertisement on page 90. The BDI score for each insecticide is based on the Pupae busting overall impact of the insecticide on beneficial insect In NSW and southern Queensland, Helicoverpa spp. populations, as listed in Tables 3 and 4, on pages spend the winter in the soil as pupae and emerge 40 and 42. The impact is expressed as a percentage as moths in spring to mate and lay eggs. Known reduction in beneficials after application of the as diapause, this resting pupal state is induced chemical. A chemical that is more disruptive has a by decreasing daylength and temperature in late higher score or rank. The overall BDI for a cotton summer. Most of the pupae which over-winter in field is calculated by summing all the BDI scores for cotton fields are H. armigera. They are likely to have each insecticide used over the whole season. Note a high survival rate because of the low numbers of that scores for each component of spray mixtures parasites. They have the potential to carry insecticide are added together. The lower the overall rank for resistance, including Bt resistance, through to the the season the less disruptive the spray regime is to next season. Therefore, it is important to pupae bust beneficials. for their control. 38 Pupae are likely to be found in the top 10 cm of the questions about the RMP are answered on pages soil surface. Cultivate to achieve disturbance of the 56–61. soil sufficiently to destroy pupae or their emergence Resistance management guidelines for all crops tunnels. The tillage required for; Several other strategies that are relevant to cotton • 1 m hills – till the whole hill; and other spring and summer crops can also help in • 2 m beds – till across the whole bed and almost managing resistance. These include: down to furrow level; 1. Avoid cross selection for resistance. Spraying for • skip-row – till right across the soil surface. one pest can be simultaneously selecting resistance Pupae busting Bollgard II® cotton fields is in another pest that is present, even though that manditory between picking and the end of July. pest is at sub-threshold levels and not specifically being targeted. For example, if a pyrethroid is Prior to the 2007–08 season the IRMS guidelines for used to control a pest other than Helicoverpa pupae busting in sprayed conventional cotton were spp. Do not follow up with another pyrethroid amended. Details of the amendments are presented for H. armigera control as the first spray may on page 50. have already selected for pyrethroid resistant Web tool to assist pupae busting decisions H. armigera. This applies to all insecticides which The proportion of pupae entering diapause increases target multiple pest species. from low levels in March to high levels, almost 100%, 2. Selective insecticide use is preferable, consistent by late April. However the rate of diapause induction with the IRMS, as this helps conserve beneficial varies from season to season and region to region. insects. Beneficials eat or parasitise resistant as Knowing when diapause is induced is useful for well as susceptible pests. Beneficials can lower overall populations of insect pests. IPM identifying 'high risk' fields, i.e. those fields most likely to have diapausing pupae that should be targeted Figure 5. Estimated rate of Helicoverpa entering for pupae busting. On the Cotton CRC website, a diapause at Dalby from the 1st of March 2009. web tool is available to help calculate the likely rate of diapause induction for your area, based on local climate data. An example of the web tool output is provided in Figure 5. See page 39. The tool is also able to compare the results for the current season with the long term average and hotter than average or cooler than average seasons. The web tool can also be used to predict the rate of moth emergence from diapause in spring. This can assist in timing pupae busting operations to maximise their effectiveness. The breaking of diapause is influenced by temperature. The tool calculates the emergence percentage from the day after the threshold temperature of 18°C is reached. To use the tool go to; http://cottassist.cottoncrc.org. au/DIET/DIETTool.aspx Figure 6. Helicoverpa moth emergence from diapause at Dalby run on the 30th of June 2009. Trap crops and weed control Trap cropping and weed control assists resistance management, as well as IPM, by reducing the size of the overall pest population which reduces the need to apply insecticides and reduces the selection pressure for the pest to develop resistance. Resistance management for Bollgard II® cotton Resistance management for Bollgard II® cotton is critical due to the season long selection of Helicoverpa spp. to the Bt toxins produced by Bollgard II®. A proactive Resistance Management Plan (RMP) has been developed to preserve the effective life of Bollgard II®. This plan is provided in full on pages 62–67 and many frequently asked 39 Table 3. Impact of insecticides and miticides on predators, parasitoids and bees in cotton 40 By Lewis Wilson1,7, Simone Heimoana1,7, Robert Mensah 2,7, Moazzem Khan 3,7, Martin Dillon 5, Mark Wade 4, Brad Scholz 3, DavidMurray 3,7, Richard Lloyd 3, Richard Sequeria3, Paul DeBarro5 Viliami Heimoana 6 and Jonathan Holloway 6. 1 CSIRO Plant Industry, 2 I&I NSW, 3 DEEDI, 4 CSIRO Entomology,5 Formerly CSIRO Entomology, 6 Formerly I&I NSW, 7 Cotton CRC. Target pest(s) Beneficials Pest Predatory beetles Predatory bugs Hymenoptera resurgence12 Insecticides (in increasing rank order of Overall Rate (g ai/ha) Helicoverpa Mites Mirids Aphids Thrips Silverleaf whitefly Total1 Predatory beetles Red and blue beetle Minute 2-spotted lady beetle Other lady beetles Total2 Predatory bugs Damsel bugs Big-eyed bugs Other predatory bugs Apple dimpling bug Lacewing adults Spiders Total wasps Eretmocerus 19 Trichogramma Ants Thrips Mite Aphid Helicoverpa Toxicity to bees14 impact on beneficials) Persistence8 Ranking9 Bt11 ✓ very short very low VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL – – – VL NP Virus ✓ very short very low VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL VL – – – VL Pirimicarb 250 ✓ short very low VL VL VL VL L L M VL VL VL VL VL M M VL L – – – VL PSO (Canopy®)16 2% ✓ ✓ short very low VL L L VL VL VL VL VL VL VL L VL – VL H VL – – – VL Methoxyfenozide 400 ✓ medium– very low L VL VL L L L L VL VL VL VL VL – VL VL VL – – – VL long Pyriproxyfen 50 ✓ Long very low M – M M VL – VL – – – L VL VL L VL VL VL – – – L Etoxazole 38.5 ✓ short low VL VL – L VL VL VL VL VL VL M L – VL VL L – – – VL Indoxacarb (low) 60 ✓ medium low L L H M VL L – L H M VL VL – VL H VL – +ve – – Indoxacarb (low + salt) 60 ✓ medium low L L H M VL L – L H M VL L – VL H VL – – – – Indoxacarb (low + Canopy) 60 ✓ medium low L L H M VL L V–L L H M VL L – VL H VL – +ve – – Rynaxypyr 52.5 ✓ long low L M M L VL VL VL L VL VH VL L – L L VL – +ve – – Dicofol3 960 ✓ long low L – – – L – – – L – L – M – – VL – – – VL Amorphous silica17 2500 ✓ short low L L – M M – VL – L L L L – – M VL – – – – Spinosad 96 ✓ medium low VL M L VL M L H VL L VL VL M H H H H +ve – – H15 Diafenthiuron 350 ✓ ✓ ✓ medium low M H VL M L M VL L H VL L L H VL H L – – +ve M Pymetrozine 150 ✓ short low M M M M L L L VL H M L L L L M VL – – – VL Fipronil (v. low) 8 ✓ medium low L L L VL L M – L M L M L – – VH L +ve – – VH Fipronil (v. low + salt) 8 ✓ medium low L L L VL L M – L M L M L – – VH L +ve +ve +ve VH Indoxacarb13 127.5 ✓ ✓ medium low H14 L VH VH L L L L VH L L L – VL VH VL – +ve – H15 Abamectin 5.4 ✓6 ✓ medium moderate L M H VL M L M M H VL M M H M H M – – – H Emamectin 8.4 ✓ medium moderate L VL M VL H H H H H L M M M VL M – – – H Dimethoate (low) 80 ✓18 ✓ ✓18 ✓ short moderate M L H H M L – H M M L M – M H M +ve +ve +ve H Dimethoate (low + salt) 80 ✓18 ✓ ✓18 ✓ short moderate M L H H M L – H M M L M – M H M +ve +ve +ve H Endosulfan (low) 367.5 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ medium moderate M VL VH M M M M L H L M VL – – VH H – – – M15 Propargite 1500 ✓ medium moderate M H H M M H VL VL L VL M M L H H M – +ve +ve L Acetamiprid 22.5 ✓ medium moderate M M VH H M M H M VH L VL L VH H VH VH – – – M15 Clothianidin (low) 25 ✓ medium moderate M VL – H L M VL VL H H M M H M VH VL – – +ve H Amitraz 400 ✓ ✓9 ✓9 medium moderate H M VH H L – – – H VL M M H L H M – – – L Fipronil (low) 12.5 ✓ ✓ medium moderate L L H L L H L L VH L M M – M VH VH +ve +ve +ve VH Chlorfenapyr (low) 200 ✓ ✓ medium moderate M L VH VL M VL H H VH L L M – VH H M – – – H Thiamethoxam 100 ✓ medium moderate H H H H M M M H H M VL M – H VH H +ve – +ve H Endosulfan (high) 735 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ medium moderate M VL VH M M M M M H L M L H VH VH H – – – M15 Fipronil (high) 25 ✓ ✓ medium moderate L VL H L M H H L VH L M M – M VH VH +ve – +ve VH Imidacloprid 49 ✓ ✓ medium moderate H L VH H H M H L VH L L L VH M H H +ve – +ve M Clothianidin (high) 50 ✓ medium moderate H VL – VH M M L VL H H M M VH H VH VL +ve – +ve H Methomyl 169 ✓ very short high H L VH VH M L VH L VH M M M VH H H H +ve – – H15 Thiodicarb 750 ✓ long high VH M VH VH M M L L VH VL M M – M M H +ve +ve – M15 Dimethoate (high) 200 ✓18 ✓ ✓18 ✓ short high M M H H M H – H H VH M H H H VH M +ve – +ve H Chlorfenapyr (high) 400 ✓ ✓ medium high H M VH L H H H H VH L M M – VH VH M – +ve – H OPs5 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ short– high H M H H H M H H VH L M H VH H VH H +ve – – H medium Carbaryl3 short high H – – – H – – – – – – – – – – H –– –– –– H Pyrethroids4 ✓ ✓ 7 ✓7 ✓7 long very high VH – – – VH – – – VH VH VH VH VH VH VH VH +ve +ve +ve H 1. Total predatory beetles – ladybeetles, red and blue beetles, other predatory beetles. 11. Bacillus thuringiensis. 2. Total predatory bugs – big-eyed bugs, minute pirate bugs, brown smudge bugs, glossy shield bug, 12. Pest resurgence is +ve if repeated applications of a particular product are likely to increase the risk of pest predatory shield bug, damsel bug, assassin bug, apple dimpling bug outbreaks or resurgence. Similarly sequential applications of products with a high pest resurgence rating will 3. Information; Citrus pests and their natural enemies, edited by Dan Smith; University of California Statewide increase the risk of outbreaks or resurgence of the particular pest species. IPM project, Cotton, Selectivity and persistence of key cotton insecticides and miticides. 13. Very high impact on minute two-spotted ladybeetle and other ladybeetles for wet spray, moderate impact for 4. Pyrethroids; alpha-cypermethrin, cypermethrin,beta-cyfluthrin, cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, fenvalerate, dried spray. esfenvalerate, deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin 14. Data Source: British Crop Protection Council. 2003. The Pesticide Manual: A World Compendium (Thirteenth 5. Organophosphates; omethoate, monocrotophos, profenofos, chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, azinophos Edition). Where LD50 data is not available impacts are based on comments and descriptions. Where LD50 data ethyl, methidathion, parathion-methyl, thiometon is available impacts are based on the following scale: very low = LD50 (48h) > 100 ug/bee, low = LD50 (48h) < 6. Helicoverpa punctigera only. 100 ug/bee, moderate = LD50 (48h) < 10 ug/bee, high = LD50 (48h) < 1 ug/bee, very high = LD50 (48h) < 0.1 ug/bee. Refer to the Protecting Bees section in this booklet. 7. Bifenthrin is registered for mite and silverleaf whitefly control; alpha-cypermethrin, beta-cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin are registered for control of mirids 15. Wet residue of these products is toxic to bees, however, applying the products in the early evening when bees are not foraging will allow spray to dry, reducing risk to bees the following day. 8. Persistence of pest control; short, less than 3 days; medium, 3-7 days, long, greater than 10 days. 16. May reduce survival of ladybeetle larvae – rating of M for this group. 9. Suppression of mites and aphids only. 17. May be detrimental to eggs and early stages of many insects, generally low toxicity to adults and later stages. 10. Impact rating (% reduction in beneficials following application, based on scores for the major beneficial groups); VL (very low), less than 10%; L (low), 10–20%; M (moderate), 20–40%; H (high), 40–60%; VH (very 18. Will not control organophosphate resistant pests (e.g. mites, some cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii) populations high), > 60%. A '–' indicates no data available for specific local species. 19. Rankings for Eretmocerus based on data for E. mundus (P. De Barro, CSIRO, unpublished) and for E. eremicus 41 (Koppert B.V. , The Netherlands (http://side-effects.koppert.nl/#)) DISCLAIMER. Information provided is based on the current best information available from research data. Users of these products should check the label for further details of rate, pest spectrum, safe handling and application. Further information on the products can be obtained from the manufacturer. IPM Table 4. Impact of insecticides at planting or as seed treatments on key beneficial groups in cotton Main target pest(s) Beneficial group Insecticides Rate (g ai/ha) Persistance6 Overall7 Predatory Predatory Wasps WW Mite Mir. Aph. Th5 Spiders Thrips beetles1 bugs2 and Ants At Planting medium- Aldicarb 450 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ long very low3 v. low v. low v. low v. low v. high medium- Phorate 600 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ long very low3,4 No data No data No data No data v. high medium- Carbosulfan 750–1000 ✓ ✓ ✓ long very low3,4 No data No data No data No data v. high Chlorpyrifos 250–750 ✓ medium very low4 No data No data No data No data No data Seed Treatments Thiodicarb 500 g ai/100 kg seed ✓ short very low3 v. low v. low v. low v. low high Thiodicarb + short- Fipronil 259 + 12 g ai/100 kg seed ✓ ✓ medium very low3,4 No data No data No data No data high Imidacloprid 525 g ai/100 kg seed ✓ ✓ ✓ medium very low3 v. low v. low v. low v. low v. high Imidacloprid 700 g ai/100 kg seed ✓ ✓ ✓ medium very low3,4 v. low v. low v. low v. low v. high Thiomethoxam 280 g ai/100 kg seed ✓ ✓ ✓ medium very low3,4 No data No data No data No data v. high 1. Predatory beetles – ladybeetles, red and blue beetles, other predatory beetles. 4. Based on observations with other soil or seed applied insecticides. 2. Predatory bugs – big-eyed bugs, minute pirate bugs, brown smudge bugs, glossy shield 5. WW, wireworm; Mir., mirids; Aph., aphids; Th, thrips. bug, predatory shield bug, damsel bug, assassin bug, apple dimpling bug. 6. Persistance; short, 2–3 weeks; medium, 3–4 weeks; long, 4–6 weeks. 3. Except for effects on thrips which are predators of mites. Note that aldicarb and phorate 7. Impact rating (% reduction in beneficials following application); very low, less than 10%; low, 10–20%; will also control mites. moderate, 20–40%; high, 40–60%; very high, > 60% Three banded ladybird* Transerve ladybird* Ladybird larva Red and blue beetle* Big-eyed bug* Glossy shield bug Predatory shield bug Damsel bug* Assassin bug* Hoverfly Green lacewing adult* Lynx spider * Predators that can be used in calculating the predator to pest ratio. Orbweaver spider Orange caterpillar parasite Normal and Parasitised eggs* For more information about beneficials check out the pest and beneficials guide on the website or the COTTONpaks CD version 2.1. 42 3. Ensure spray applications are accurate, timely Technology Users Agreements for GM cottons and triggered by pest thresholds. Using plant require the control of cotton regrowth. For more compensation allows for the plant's capacity to information on the requirements for managing recover from a degree of damage without loss, Bollgard II® volunteers, see pages 64–65, for Roundup thereby avoiding insecticide applications to Ready Flex® and Roundup Ready® volunteers see prevent non-economic damage. pages 104 and for Liberty Link® volunteers see page 102. Objective 5. Rotation crops Managing crop and weed hosts Growing a range of crops can be seen as essential to providing a habitat for a variety of insects. Cotton Weed management in monoculture over a wide area provides a little The potential for pests to over-winter on weeds, and opportunity for beneficials to thrive and persist. infest the subsequent cotton crop early in the season, is often greatest when a mild wet winter occurs. The selection of a rotation crop has many Abundant growth of weeds in these conditions creates implications for pest management. Rotation crops difficulties with their control. Ideally, management are hosts for a range of pests, such as mites (faba of weeds, in fallow fields, cropped fields, and in the beans, safflower), aphids (faba beans, canola) or borders and headlands should be undertaken early in H. punctigera (chickpeas, canola). Some rotation winter and continue through the winter and spring as crops may also affect carry over of disease or conversely provide a disease break as suggested in necessary. IDM guidelines. Weeds provide over winter hosts for a number Options for managing pests in rotation crops of pests including mites, whitefly, mirids, aphids, IPM should also be considered. With no major initiative tipworm, cutworm and armyworm. The control of to structure insecticide resistance management in weeds also has implications for managing cotton field crops other than cotton, follow the basic IPM diseases, as some weed species are disease hosts. principle to use as many methods as possible to For example bladder ketmia (Hibiscus trionum) manage pests. is an alternate host for Fusarium wilt (Fusarium For resistance management in rotation crops the oxysporum var. vasinfectum). guidelines in Objective 4 can be followed, see Weeds also harbour beneficials. However, the page 38. potential problems that on-farm weeds may cause, by providing over winter hosts for pests and some diseases, generally outweighs their value as a Objective 6. refuge for beneficials. Growing of refuge crops for Use trap crops effectively beneficials, such as lucerne, is an option available to Trap cropping is an IPM tactic that can be utilised growers who want to enhance beneficial numbers. on a farm level or area wide basis. Trap cropping Most insect pests that attack cotton utilise one or aims to concentrate a pest population into a more weeds, native plants or alternative crops as manageable area by providing the pest with an area hosts. For more information see the sub-section of preferred host crop. When strategically planned Overwintering habitat for each pest in the Key and managed, trap crops can be utilised at different insect and mite pests of Australian cotton starting on times throughout the year to help manage a range of page 1. pests. This assists resistance management as well as Managing cotton regrowth IPM, by reducing the size of the overall population which reduces the need to apply insecticides Regrowth of cotton after harvest (also called ratoon and reduces the selection pressure for the pest to cotton) provides refuge for Helicoverpa spp., spider mites, green mirids, apple dimpling bugs and develop resistance. aphids. Regrowth should be controlled by slashing, First generation or spring trap cropping root pulling and/or mulching to prevent pests being Spring trap crops are designed to attract H. armigera carried between seasons. adults as they emerge from over wintering pupae in Regrowth cotton is also a risk for carry-over of the spring. Larvae arising from eggs laid in the crop are disease Cotton Bunchy Top (CBT). Cotton aphids controlled using a biological insecticide or allowed feeding on these plants could then pick up CBT and to pupate and are controlled by cultivation. A trap spread it to adjacent cotton crops in the following crop, strategically timed to flower as pupae are season. Cotton regrowth also has implications for emerging in spring combined with effective pupae managing soil-borne diseases (see the Integrated busting in previous autumn can help to reduce the Disease Management guidelines). early season build-up of H. armigera in a district. 43 An ideal first generation trap crop is one that is; In Central Queensland cotton growers are using very attractive to H. armigera, is a good nursery summer trap crops of pigeon pea as part of the RMP for beneficials, does not host secondary pests or for Bollgard II® cotton. More information on trap diseases, does not become a weed problem and is cropping requirements in Bollgard II® cotton is on easy to establish and manage. Many winter crops page 67. have been trialled to measure their potential as a spring trap crop. Chickpea has consistently proven Objective 7. superior to all other crops in its ability to generate Communication and training large numbers of H. armigera, however it is not a good nursery for beneficial insects. Chickpea Communicate with neighbours has also proven to be agronomically robust, being Communication with neighbouring primary suitable for both dryland and irrigated situations. producers is essential to develop a successful IPM Growers must ensure trap crops do not become program. It is just as important to communicate future nurseries of Helicoverpa spp., and so with non-cotton growing neighbours and if possible effectively controlling populations in the trap crop encourage your neighbours to reciprocate a level of by timely destruction of the crop itself is required. communication. Because the trap crop will not be harvested for yield, a fast knock-down insecticide is not required. Pesticide application management plan Bio-pesticides like Bt and virus formulations may be Extract from 'Application of pesticides' booklet of well suited. the BMP manual. In Central Queensland there is minimal over The core best management practice for safe and wintering of H. armigera because temperatures are responsible pesticide use is to develop a pesticide generally too warm to trigger diapause. Here spring application management plan (PAMP). The trap crops are used to concentrate local H. armigera PAMP will help ensure that everyone involved in populations into areas where they can also be a pesticide application has a clear understanding destroyed, at a time when there are few other hosts of their responsibilities. It also helps identify the for the H. armigera to infest. risks associated with pesticide applications so that controls to minimise those risks can be put in place. Summer trap cropping Summer trap cropping has quite a different aim A PAMP has two essential aims: from that of spring trap cropping. A summer trap 1. Establishing good communication with crop aims to draw Helicoverpa spp. away from everybody involved and interested in the a main crop such as cotton or mungbeans and application of pesticides. This communication is concentrate them in a small area planted to another required both pre-season and during the season. crop such as sorghum, pigeon pea or lab lab. Once It should exist between the grower, the applicator, concentrated into the trap crop, the larvae can be the consultant, farm workers and neighbours. controlled. 2. Ensuring appropriate application techniques and procedures are used. Some summer trap crops may produce large numbers of beneficial insects that can then move Supporting these aims is good record keeping – of into nearby crops, for example, the Trichogramma each aspect of the PAMP itself, and the details spp. in sorghum and maize. of pesticide application. This record keeping is important to check the effectiveness pesticide The aim of a 'last generation' summer trap crop is applications, to comply with regulatory requirements to attract moths emerging from non-diapausing and to demonstrate due diligence. pupae under cotton. These pupae are likely to be more abundant under conventional cotton and will For more information and assistance in developing have had intense insecticide resistance selection on a PAMP consult the BMP manual and contact your the cotton crop. Concentrating the eggs from these Cotton Australia Grower Services Manager. moths in the trap crop allows the resulting larvae to Area Wide Management (AWM) be controlled using biological insecticides such as a AWM groups or IPM groups acknowledge that virus or by cultivation to kill the resulting pupae. pest and beneficial insects are mobile, and that the The trap crop would be planted mid season, to management regimes to control pests imposed on ensure that it was highly attractive to H. armigera a given field are likely to alter the abundance of late in the cotton season. The attractiveness of beneficial insects and levels of insecticide resistance the cotton crop relative to the trap crop may in pest populations in the surrounding locality. By significantly influence the potential effectiveness of communicating and coordinating strategies, AWM this strategy. groups have successfully implemented IPM. 44 AWM for population management For more information on getting a group started AWM in the true sense primarily strives to reduce and/or maintaining momentum of a group see the pest pressure by co-ordinating the efforts of growers IPM Guidelines II, or contact your regional cotton in an area. The strategy is based on reducing the extension officer or district agronomist. survival of over wintering, insecticide-resistant H. armigera pupae, reducing the early season build- Meetings up of H. armigera on a regional/district scale, and Each winter, meetings are held in each major to reduce the mid-season population pressure on region to review resistance levels, IPM principles, Helicoverpa-susceptible crops. computerised decision support programs, BMP procedures and other production issues. These The main tactics are spring trap crops, conservation meetings improve information exchange between of beneficial insects and cultivation of diapausing growers, consultants, and research and extension pupae. A critical component is to bring together personnel. farmers from a range of different enterprises, including cotton and other dryland crops. As Training H. armigera is a pest common to most of these crops The Cotton Production Course is a university it is vital to have all types of growers involved if based course consisting of four units. The course AWM is to succeed. is available for part time external students at both AWM or IPM groups undergraduate and graduate level. Coordinator – These groups focus on communication and co- John Stanley (02) 6773 3758. ordination to achieve agreed IPM goals, These may include conserving beneficials, delaying use IPM of disruptive insecticides, reducing the risk of drift between farms and the planting of trap crops. A key element of most groups that have worked well has been regular meetings before and during the season to share information, discuss strategies and build rapport. 45 Table 5. Seasonal activity plan for IPM Phases Objective Post harvest Pre-planting Planting to 1 flower 1st flower to 1 open 1 open boll per per metre boll per metre metre to harvest 1. Growing a Consider the best Seed bed preparation. Consider planting Water management. Make final irrigation healthy crop rotation crop for your Field and cotton window. Consider Nutrient status. decisions. Defoliate situation. Test soil variety selection. at-planting Growth control. when crop is mature. nutrient status to Plan irrigation and seed treatment, Pest control. Keep on top of pests determine fertiliser crop management insecticides and by using appropriate requirements for strategies. other control options control options. cotton crop. Consider which do not disrupt potential disease risks. beneficial insect activity. 2. Keeping track Sample cotton Assess risk of Sample for pests, Sample for pests, Sample for pests, of insects and stubble for wireworm, early beneficials and beneficials and beneficials and damage Helicoverpa armigera thrips, mirids, mites parasitism rates in parasitism rates. parasitism rates in pupae after harvest. and black field cotton as well as Track pest trends cotton as well as last earwigs and decide spring trap crop. and incorporate generation trap crop. on seed treatments, Monitor early season parasitism into spray Monitor fruit load. granular insecticides damage. Track pest decisions. Monitor Use pest thresholds or in-furrow trends. Use pest fruit load. Use pest and the predator to insecticide sprays. thresholds and the thresholds and the pest ratio. predator to pest ratio. predator to pest ratio. Cease pest control at 30–40% bolls open. 3. Preserving Plant lucerne (strips If planning to release Sample for beneficials Sample beneficials. Sample for beneficial or block) in autumn. Trichogramma during and parasitism rates. Consider releasing beneficials. insects Consider becoming the season, plan to If chemical control Trichogramma into Encourage beneficials involved in an IPM or sow other crops e.g. of a pest is required, sorghum. Keep track to reduce late season AWM group. Discuss sorghum. Consider refer to the beneficial of your BDI and resistant pests by spray management growing a diverse impact table. Keep predator to pest ratio. using food sprays plan with neighbours habitat to encourage track of your BDI and Food sprays may be and low impact and consultant. beneficials. predator to pest ratio. considered. Manage insecticides. lucerne appropriately. 4. Preventing Pupae bust to control Consider Bollgard II® Use pest and damage Use pest and damage Use pest and damage insecticide overwintering refuge option. thresholds. Follow thresholds. Follow thresholds. Follow resistance Helicoverpa and mites Consider choice the IRMS strategy the IRMS strategy the IRMS strategy as soon as possible of at – planting for your region. for your region. for your region. after harvest. Plant insecticides or seed Encourage beneficials Encourage beneficials Encourage beneficials spring trap crop. treatment and to help reduce to help reduce to help reduce Review resistance implications for later resistant pests. Follow resistant pests. Follow resistant pests. Follow management results. aphid sprays. Bollgard II® resistance Bollgard II® resistance Bollgard II® resistance Reduce the availability management plan. management plan. management plan. of aphid and whitefly hosts over winter. 5. Managing crop Keep farm weed free Carefully consider Keep farm weed-free. Keep farm weed-free. Consider winter and weed hosts over winter. Control summer rotation rotation crops (type, cotton re-growth. crops (type and location and the location). Keep farm potential to host weed free. pests or diseases). Keep farm weed-free. 6. Using trap crops Plant spring trap crop. Consider summer Consider last Monitor Helicoverpa Destroy Helicoverpa effectively Consider flowering trap crop. Cultivate all generation trap crop. populations in eggs and larvae in date to time planting. chickpea trap crops summer trap crop, last generation trap by 30 September. control if necessary. crop using biological sprays. Pupae bust last generation trap crop. 7. Communication Consider becoming Communicate with Meet regularly with Meet regularly with Meet regularly with and training involved in an IPM or neighbours and neighbours and neighbours and neighbours and AWM group. Attend applicators to discuss consultant to discuss consultant to discuss consultant to discuss regional training and spray management IPM strategies and IPM strategies and IPM strategies and information seminars. plans. attend local field attend local field attend local field Consider doing the days. days. days. IPM short course. 46 8. Avoid continuous sprays of any one mode of Insecticide Resistance Management action group, including Bt products. (Rotate Strategy (IRMS) for 2009/10 between chemical groups where possible). Louise Rossiter and David Larsen, Industry & Do not exceed the maximum acceptable use Investment NSW; Sharon Downes and Lewis Wilson, limits indicated on the Insecticide Resistance CSIRO; Dave Murray and Melina Miles, Department of Management Strategy charts for cotton (see Employment, Economic Development and Innovation pages 52–55). 9. Do not respray an apparent failure with a The use of pesticides selects for resistance in pest product of the same group – unless the failure populations. The cotton industry IRMS seeks to is clearly due to factors not related to resistance, manage the risk of resistance in Helicoverpa spp., such as poor application, timing, etc. aphids, mites and whitefly, both in conventional 10. Control weeds on farm to minimise alternative and Bollgard II® cotton. Additional resistance hosts for mites, aphids and silverleaf whitefly management requirements are also in place for through winter and particularly in the lead up managing the risk of Helicoverpa spp. developing to cotton planting. resistance to Bollgard II® (refer to pages 64–65). 11. Comply with any use restrictions placed on Below, the key elements of the IRMS are described insecticides used on other crops. This will and questions regarding the design and reasons for reduce the chance of prolonged selection for the IRMS are answered. In this document, the term resistance over a range of crops. 'insecticide' refers generally to pesticides used for insect or mite control. YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED CHECkLIST How was the 2009/10 IRMS decided? 1. Cultivate cotton and residues of alternative host The development of the Insecticide Resistance crops as soon as possible after harvest to destroy Management Strategy is driven by the Transgenic and overwintering H. armigera pupae. In Bollgard Insect Management Strategies (TIMS) Committee. II® fields, cultivation must be completed before TIMS is a sub-committee of Cotton Australia The the end of july. results from the insecticide and miticide resistance 2. Use recommended pest thresholds to minimise monitoring programs, carried out during the insecticide use and reduce resistance selection. season, are used to inform the committee of any Refer to Table 2 on page 22–23. field-scale changes in resistance levels. Extensive communication and discussion with cotton growers IRMS 3. Monitor first position fruit retention at and consultants is undertaken in all regions of the flowering and aim to retain at around 60% Australian cotton industry before TIMS finalises or alternatively maintain a fruiting factor of their recommendations. Communication is critical between 1.1 and 1.3. for ensuring that the IRMS is practical and can be 4. Delay using broad-spectrum sprays, such as implemented. organophosphates or pyrethroids, for as long as possible. These products reduce the abundance What are the key changes in the IRMS this season? of beneficial insects and increase the chance of There were a number of key changes to the IRMS mite, aphid and silverleaf whitefly outbreaks. for this season: 5. Avoid early season use of omethoate or dimethoate. This is to prevent selection for 1. Darling Downs incorporated into the Central organophosphate-carbamate cross-resistance Regions IRMS enabling insecticide use windows in aphids. Avoiding early season use of these to be uniform (thereby minimising selection insecticides also reduces the risk of flaring other pressure) across southern Queensland and pests like silverleaf whitefly. northern NSW. 6. Do not apply a first foliar spray from the same 2. Southern Regions IRMS for Macquarie, Lachlan insecticide group as a seed treatment. For and Murrumbidgee allowing for earlier season sucking pests, consider the seed treatment as a pyrethroid use (Dec 15 – end of season) on 'spray' and alternate chemistries. H. punctigera populations in areas where silverleaf 7. Monitor mite populations regularly after whitefly does not currently present a problem. seedlings emerge. If established mite 3. Central Regions: pyrethroids moved to start 1 populations are present (5–10% of plants month later (Jan 15 – end of season) due to effect infested) avoid using broad-spectrum on flaring silverleaf whitefly outbreaks. insecticides to control other pests. Instead use 4. Altacor windowed after an initial season wide selective compounds or compounds that also use period last year – control or suppress mites, either alone or in Central and Southern Regions: Dec 1 – Feb 15 mixtures as required. Northern Regions:Nov 15 – Feb 1. 47 5. Northern Regions: Steward moved to start 15 What is the scientific basis of the IRMS? days later in the season in response to industry The basis of the IRMS is to minimise selection feedback, Dec 1 – Feb 15. across consecutive generations of the pest. Pest 6. Shield (Clothianidin) added to the life cycles therefore determine the length of the Neonicotinoid group. 'windows' around which the IRMS is built. As the 7. Chemicals that are registered but currently life cycles of Helicoverpa spp. and the sucking pests commercially unavailable have been separated are very different, the strategy for one will not from the main body of the strategy and 'greyed' manage resistance for the other. out to give greater clarity to those insecticides that are actually available for use. Helicoverpa spp. Ideally the length of the 'windows' would be Why is it important to follow the IRMS in 42 days (average) time from egg to moth) to Bollgard II® cotton? minimise the selection pressure across consecutive Whenever insecticides are used there is selection generations. Most chemicals are restricted to pressure for resistance. The IRMS should always be windows of between one and two generations to consulted when making a spray decision, even in account for the practicalities of pest control. To Bollgard II® cotton. This is irrespective of whether counteract this compromise there are additional the decision has been motivated by above threshold restrictions on the maximum number of populations of secondary pests, large Helicoverpa applications for each chemical group. larvae migrating from refugia or extremely high Sucking Pests – mites, aphids and whitefly Helicoverpa egg pressure. The IRMS has been The resistance strategy for the short life cycle pests designed to fit with IPM principles. Following the IRMS and implementing the Bollgard II® RMP depends on rotation of insecticides/miticides is necessary to minimise all resistance risks to between different chemical groups (different insecticides, miticides and the Cry proteins (in modes of action) to avoid selection over successive Bollgard II®). generations. Non-consecutive uses of chemistries is particularly important for aphids as they reproduce How do insects develop resistance? asexually. All offspring from a resistant aphid Resistance is an outcome of exposing pest will be resistant.There are also restrictions on the populations to a strong selection pressure, such as maximum number of uses for individual products an insecticide. Genes for resistance naturally occur and chemical groups to further encourage rotation at very low frequencies in insect populations. They of chemistries. remain rare until they are selected for with a toxin, either from an applied pesticide or from within How do refuges help manage resistance to Bt in Bollgard II®. Once a selection pressure is applied, Bollgard II®, and do they help manage resistance resistance genes can increase in frequency as the to insecticides in Helicoverpa? insects carrying them are more likely to survive Growing refuge crops is a pre-emptive resistance and produce offspring. If selection continues, the proportion of resistant insects relative to susceptible management strategy. It is being implemented to insects may continue to increase until reduced prevent field-scale resistance to Bollgard II®. This effectiveness of the toxin is observed in the field. is important as the success of the refuge strategy depends on the majority of the general population What do the chemical group numbers on the being susceptible (SS). When a susceptible moth IRMS charts mean? mates with a resistant moth (RR), the offspring The numbers appearing beside chemical names carry one allele from each parent (RS). These or trade names on the IRMS chart are the offspring are referred to as heterozygotes. In international mode of action group numbers. the cases of Bt resistance that have so far been To be consistent with insecticide product labels identified, heterozygotes are still controlled by and international agreements among chemical Bollgard II® cotton. Because of the high toxic dose manufacturers, TIMS also include these numbers in Bollgard II®, it is only RR individuals that can when listing chemical groups. survive. This is not always the case for resistances Insecticides with the same mode of action kill to other insecticides. For many of the conventional pests by the same mechanism eg. by affecting the insecticides (to which resistance has already function of nerves or by paralysing mouthparts. developed), resistance mechanisms are functionally Hence, if insects (or mites) develop resistance to dominant. This means that heterozygotes survive one insecticide in a particular mode of action group, the application and can make up a large part of the they maybe cross resistant to other insecticides in resistant population. In such circumstances the that group. dilution effect created by refuges is far less effective. 48 Refuges are able to help manage Bt resistance availability of hosts, which is largely determined by through the generation of SS moths. If RR moths rainfall. Years where inland areas receive little rainfall are emerging from Bollgard II® fields, they are may produce few migrating moths. more likely to mate with SS moths if a refuge has Why do we need an IRMS in conventional cotton been grown. The RS offspring is susceptible to when there are such large areas of Bollgard II®? Bollgard II® and an increase in the frequency of RR individuals can be prevented. Large areas of Bollgard II® will not change the frequencies of resistance genes being carried While refuges cannot assist when insecticide by H. armigera moths. The same proportion of resistance is already prevalent in the field resistant and susceptible moths will continue to lay population, such as with synthetic pyrethroids, eggs in cotton – be it conventional or Bollgard II®. there may be some benefit from the unsprayed Hence the likelihood of resistance development to refuge options for new chemistries. Unsprayed foliar and soil applied insecticides remains the same, refuges will produce moths that have not been even if the overall size of the H. armigera population exposed to insecticide selection pressure. is reduced. Continuing to follow the IRMS will How does the migration of moths within a ensure that the industry retains the ability to season impact on the IRMS? control H. armigera effectively with insecticides on The IRMS has always accounted for moth movement conventional cotton both now and in the future, in among different cotton growing regions. Several case field-resistance to Bollgard II® develops. field studies have shown that moths can travel large When do stage windows start and stop? distances. Recently, some genetic work showed The dates shown on the strategy charts are for that H.armigera moths move up to 1200 kilometres the start of each stage. Windows will start at between regions. Insecticide resistance in one region 00:01 h on the date shown as the start (e.g. 15 can therefore spread to other regions by moth December for Stage 2 in Central areas) and end migration. The TIMS Committee designs the IRMS at midnight 24:00 h on the day before the start of to reduce the chance that moths migrating between the next window (e.g. 1 February for Stage 2 in regions would be reselected repeatedly by the same Central areas). For those individual insecticides insecticide group. This is done by limiting the time and miticides that start or end outside window period over which most insecticides are available. boundaries, the start and end dates are specified and IRMS The strategies also accommodate the different the same principles apply. growing seasons from central Queensland through to southern NSW. What do the terms cross-resistance and multiple resistance mean? How can they be minimised? Will the large uptake of Bollgard II® reduce the Cross-resistance occurs when selection for population sizes of Helicoverpa spp.? resistance against one pesticide also confers It is too early to tell whether the widespread resistance to another pesticide, either from the use of Bollgard II® will affect the size of natural same mode of action group or a different group. For populations of Helicoverpa. H. armigera is closely example, the mechanism for pirimicarb resistance linked with cropping regions so it is possible that (Group 1A) in aphids also gives resistance to a reduction in numbers of this pest will occur over omethoate/dimethoate (Group 1B). Cross-resistance time. In most seasons, the majority of moths are is important as it means that a pest may be resistant locally generated, so Bollgard II® may act as a 'sink' to a chemical to which it has never been exposed and influence the overall population size. However, (i.e. without selection pressure). this species uses hosts other than cotton and, even Multiple resistance simply means that an insect is with widespread use of Bollgard II®, population resistant to more than one mode of action group. sizes may be regulated by the abundance of these For instance, H. armigera can have metabolic alternative hosts. resistance to synthetic pyrethroids (Group 3A) and In contrast, large populations of H. punctigera moths nerve insensitivity to organophoshates (Group 1B). can be generated in inland areas and migrate to The development of both cross-resistance and cotton growing regions. As these moths are generated multiple resistance can be minimised by following in other environments, Bollgard II® will have little the IRMS. The strategy is designed to manage both effect on the size of these populations, especially of these occurrences. For example, in the strategy early in the season following the annual spring for aphids, there is a break between the use of migration events of this species. However the size of pirimicarb and dimethoate/omethoate during these populations will be strongly influence by the which other chemistries should be used. The use of 49 alternative chemistries should minimise the number organophosphate). As a general rule, mixtures are of pirimicarb-resistant aphids being exposed to unnecessary in situations where individual products dimethoate/omethoate. provide adequate control. Several criteria need to be met for mixtures to be Is pupae busting in conventional cotton still effective. Components of the mixture should; important for resistance management? • be equally persistent, Yes. Pupae busting is an effective, non-chemical • have different modes of action, method of preventing resistance carryover from one • not be subject to the same routes of metabolic season to the next. detoxification, In 2007/08 the pupae busting guidelines for sprayed • be tank-mix compatible. conventional cotton were modified according to the In addition, the majority of the pest population likelihood that larvae will enter diapause before a should not be resistant to any component of a certain date, allowing for removal of pupae busting mixture, as this may render it a redundant or operations in field specific situations. The estimated 'sleeping partner' in terms of insect control. commencement date of diapause is based on the model which drives the Helicoverpa Diapause When very heavy Helicoverpa spp. pressure occurs Induction and Emergence Tool on the Cotton and egg parasitism percentages have been low, include CRC website. The model was developed from field an ovicide (e.g. amitraz and methomyl) in sprays research conducted on the Darling Downs by QPI&F to take the pressure off larvicides. When targeting and has broad application to farming systems in sprays against eggs and very small larvae and do not eastern Australia. The web tool predicts the timing of expect 100% control with any insecticide or mixture diapause. of insecticides. If larval numbers are reduced below threshold then the treatment should be regarded as Post Harvest Pupae Destruction statement since effective. 2007/08: Sprayed conventional cotton crops defoliated after the 9th March are more likely to harbour Some mix partners provide more than additive kill insecticide resistant diapausing Helicoverpa armigera (synergism), but this is not always the case. Some larvae and should be pupae busted as soon as possible mixtures may in fact result in reduced effectiveness. after picking and no later than the end of July. For example the synergists, piperonyl butoxide (PBO) and propargite, may increase the efficacy of pyrethroids against H. armigera, but may be How does the use of insecticide mixtures fit in antagonistic if mixed with organophosphates or the IRMS? chlorfenapyr. When used repeatedly, mixtures are high-risk and a controversial strategy for managing resistance. The Croplife Australia Insecticide Resistance They can undermine the IRMS by repeatedly Management Group, recommend that no two selecting for resistance to the common components compounds from the same chemical group/ in mixtures and by selection for resistance across mode of action be included in a mixture (e.g. multiple chemical groups. When mixtures are chlorpyrifos and profenofos). The repeated use of used frequently, it becomes difficult to determine any insecticide with different mix partners will also whether each component is contributing equally to increase selection for resistance e.g. pyrethoid plus efficacy. propargite, followed by pyrethroid plus amitraz, The use of mixtures to overcome the effects of followed by pyrethroid plus organophosphate. resistance requires very careful consideration. Mixtures may provide improved field control of It is illegal to use rates above those recommended H. armigera in situations where a proportion of on the label of an insecticide alone or in mixtures. the pest population is resistant to one insecticide Efficacy will not always improve at rates above the (i.e. pyrethroid) but is susceptible to another highest label rate or if two insecticides of the same chemical group with a different mode of action (i.e. chemical group are applied as a mixture. TIMS Troubleshooting Committee contacts 2009/10 Name Telephone Mobile Fax Email Lewis Wilson (Chair person) (02) 6799 1550 – (02) 6793 1186 firstname.lastname@example.com Louise Rossiter (02) 6799 1500 0429 726 285 (02) 6799 1503 email@example.com CRDC (Tracey Farrell) (02) 6792 4088 – (02) 6792 4400 email@example.com CA (Greg Kauter) (02) 9669 5222 (02) 9669 5511 firstname.lastname@example.com 50 Can emergency changes be made to the IRMS CONSIDERATIONS FOLLOWINg A during the season? SUSPECTED SPRAY FAILURE Yes, the TIMS Troubleshooting Committee (TTC) In the event of a suspected pest control failure, was established by TIMS to act on its behalf to don't panic as it is important to assess the situation respond quickly to requests to vary the Strategy carefully before deciding on a course of action. temporarily for specific regions. The TTC is not The presence of live pests following an insecticide able to approve major changes to the Strategy – that application does not necessarily indicate insecticide is the role of the TIMS Committee. failure. What is the insecticide's mode of action? Has it been given enough time to work? Products What is the process for requesting a within- such as thiodicarb, foliar Bt, NPV, spinosad and season change to the IRMS? indoxacarb are stomach poisons and may not give The TIMS Troubleshooting Committee (TTC) has maximum control until 5–7 days after application. put in place a clear process for handling requests for Similarly, propargite, abamectin, pyriproxifen and within-season changes to the IRMS. diafenthiuron are slow acting and may take 7–10 days or longer to achieve maximum control. In A request to temporarily alter the Strategy for a some instances pest infestation levels remain high district or part of a district can be initiated by any following a treatment but little if any economic grower or consultant, but it will not be considered damage to the crop occurs (e.g. if the pests are sick by the TTC unless it is presented with clear and have ceased feeding evidence of having been discussed and gained majority support at a local level. This will include: When diagnosing the cause of an insecticide failure, it is important to remember that there are a wide • Evidence that the local consultants who might range of variables that influence insecticide efficacy. be affected by the requested alterations have These include species complex, population density discussed them and are in agreement. and age, crop canopy structure, application timing, • A request from the local Cotton Growers the application method, carrier and solution pH Association (CGA) that outlines the problem and – and their effects on coverage and the insecticide the preferred solution. dose delivered to the target, environmental • Evidence that all reasonable efforts have been conditions, assessment timing and insecticide made to apply the alternatives available within the resistance expressed in the pest population. For every insecticide application, it is the interaction strategy. IRMS of all of these factors that determines the outcome. The request can be faxed or emailed to Louise While it will not be possible to optimise all of these Rossiter or Lewis Wilson. A return contact name variables all of the time, when more compromises and phone number should be included so that are made, there is a greater likelihood that efficacy receipt of the request can be acknowledged and will be unsatisfactory. further discussion can be held with a TTC member It is also important to maintain realistic if required. expectations of the efficacy that can be achieved. All members of the TTC will be faxed or emailed For example, do not expect satisfactory control of the request and asked to respond to an ACRI medium and large Helicoverpa larvae late in the season, regardless of the insecticide treatment used. contact point by 10 a.m. the following morning (or the next working day if the request is lodged on a If a field failure is suspected to be due to insecticide weekend or public holiday). A decision will then resistance, collect a sample of the surviving pest be made and a response issued by 12 noon. All from the sprayed field using the industry guidelines reasonable efforts will be made to meet this level and send to the relevant researcher. For Helicoverpa of response, however it should be recognised that surviving conventional insecticides, Louise Rossiter (02) 6799 1500. For Helicoverpa surviving Bt, Sharon complex or poorly communicated requests may take Downes (02) 6799 1500. For mites and aphids, Grant longer to resolve. Herron (02) 4640 6333. For whitefly, Richard Lloyd The granting of a request by the TTC to temporarily (07) 4688 1315. Sending samples for testing can alter the Resistance Strategy applies to a specific confirm or rule out resistance as the cause of the district. It does not confer the same temporary spray failure and is an important part of assessing the changes to other districts unless they have also presence of resistance across the industry. lodged a request to the TTC in the manner outlined After any spray failure, do not follow up with an above. TTC changes for a region have a limited application of the same insecticide group alone or in duration and do not carry over from one season to mixture (at any rate). Rotate to an insecticide from a the next. different mode of action group. 51 2009–2010 Insecticide Resistance Management Strategy for Cotton Northern Regions: Central Highlands, Dawson and Callide Valleys Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 3 Nov 15 Dec 15 Jan 15 Feb 1 See Cotton Pest Post-Harvest Management Maximum 2 consecutive sprays of any one insecticide group, alone or in mixtures Guide for FOLIAR Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) -on conventional and Bollgard cotton but EXCLUDING any refuges Sprayed conventional suggested HELICOVERPA VIRUSES ( ) avoid season long use of low rates cotton crops defoliated thresholds - No restrictions after 9th March are AMITRAZ - Max of 4 more likely to harbour insecticide resistant ENDOSULFAN see label for restrictions diapausing Helicoverpa ABAMECTIN - for H. punctigera, Max of 2, including mite sprays } Max 3 from 'mectins' group armigera pupae and should be pupae busted - Max of 3 as soon as possible after Helicoverpa Dec 1 * - Max of 3 Feb 15 picking and no later PYRETHROIDS & PYRETHROID MIXES than the end of August - PBO, Max of 2 - sprays, Max of 2, including mite sprays. CHLORPYRIFOS - Max of 3 including mixtures Other OPs - Max of 3 including mixtures METHOMYL - Max of 4, carbamates Including mixtures THIODICARB - Max of 4 carbamates Including mixtures * September 15th No use of Steward or Tracer on chickpeas after this date - Max of 3 Registered but currently - Max of 1 at any rate including mite sprays commercially unavailable * - Max of 3 insecticides CHLORPYRIFOS METHYL- Max of 3 including mixtures PROFENOFOS - Max of 3 including mixtures Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 3 Nov 15 Dec 15 Jan 15 Feb 1 See Cotton Pest 1. Maximum 2 sprays per mode of action group, including mixtures, unless otherwise indicated below. With- Post-Crop Management 2. Rotate chemistry. No consecutive use of the same group holding Management Guide for 3. Failures with neonicotinoids against aphids have been confirmed. Do not follow a Period suggested seed or planting insecticide with the first foliar spray from the same group. ALTERNATE thresholds Canopy Oil - No restrictions Nil See label } Seed dressing Nil See label Finish date determined by long withholding period 91 days STOP Aphids 28, 10 & 5 days Over winter- PIRIMICARB Use when beneficial conservation is important 21 days ing resistant - Crop must be actively growing Finish date determined by crop growth (see label) 28 days populations ENDOSULFAN - see label for restrictions 28 days by practis- DIMETHOATE & OMETHOATE 14 & 21 days ing good CHLORPYRIFOS - METHYL see Helicoverpa strategy 5 days farm hygiene ALDICARB In furrow at sowing Nil See label (see IPM PHORATE 70 days Guidelines) in furrow at sowing or side dress Aphids CHLORPYRIFOS - See Helicoverpa strategy 28 days and Mites Start date determined by canopy closure (see label) 14 days PROFENOFOS - See Helicoverpa strategy 28 days - Max of 1 21 days ABAMECTIN - Max of 2, including H. punctigera sprays 20 days Mites Don't use pre squaring PROPARGITE 28 days - Max of 2, including Helicoverpa sprays. 14 days - Max of 1 at any rate including Helicoverpa sprays 28 days SLW Refer Silverleaf whitefly Threshold Matrix and associated Notes Mirids WARNING Avoid early season omethoate/dimethoate use as it may compromise their efficacy and pirimicarb efficacy against aphids as well as flare other pests including silver leaf whitefly. 2009–2010 Insecticide Resistance Management Strategy for Cotton Central Darling Downs, Balonne, Macintyre, Gwydir, Lower & Upper Namoi, Bourke Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Dec 15 Jan 15 Feb 15 See Cotton Pest Management Maximum 2 consecutive sprays of any one insecticide group, alone or in mixtures Post-Harvest Guide for FOLIAR Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) - on conventional and Bollgard cotton but EXCLUDING any refuges suggested Sprayed conventional HELICOVERPA VIRUSES - ( avoid season long use of low rates thresholds cotton crops defoliated - No restrictions after 9th March are AMITRAZ - Max of 4 more likely to harbour ENDOSULFAN see label for restrictions insecticide resistant ABAMECTIN - for H. punctigera, Max of 2, including mite sprays February 1 } Max 3 from 'mectins' group diapausing Helicoverpa armigera pupae and December 1 - Max of 3 should be pupae busted Helicoverpa *- Max of 3 as soon as possible after PYRETHROIDS & PYRETHROID MIXES picking and no later - PBO, Max of 2 - sprays, Max of 2, including mite sprays. than the end of August CHLORPYRIFOS - Max of 3 including mixtures February 1 } Other OPs - Max of 3 including mixtures METHOMYL - Max of 4 carbamates Including mixtures THIODICARB - Max of 4 carbamates Including mixtures * October 15th No use of Steward or Tracer on chickpeas after this date - Max of 3 December 1 * - Max of 3 Registered but currently - Max of 1 at any rate including mite sprays commercially unavailable CHLORPYRIFOS METHYL - Max of 3 including mixtures insecticides February 1 } PROFENOFOS - Max of 3 including mixtures Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Dec 15 Jan 15 Feb 15 See Cotton Pest 1. Maximum 2 sprays per mode of action group, including mixtures, unless otherwise indicated below. With- Post-Crop Management 2. Rotate chemistry. No consecutive use of the same group holding Management Guide for 3. Failures with neonicotinoids against aphids have been confirmed. Do not follow a Period suggested seed or planting insecticide with the first foliar spray from the same group. ALTERNATE thresholds Canopy Oil - No restrictions Nil See label } Seed dressing Nil See label Finish date determined by long withholding period 91 days STOP Aphids 28, 10 & 5 days Over winter- PIRIMICARB January 1 Use when beneficial conservation is important 21 days ing resistant Crop must be actively growing Finish date determined by crop growth (see label) 28 days populations ENDOSULFAN - see label for restrictions 28 days by practis- February 1 } DIMETHOATE & OMETHOATE 14 & 21 days ing good CHLORPYRIFOS -METHYL - see Helicoverpa strategy 5 days farm hygiene ALDICARB In furrow at sowing Nil See label (see IPM 70 days Guidelines) PHORATE in furrow at sowing or side dress Aphids February 1 CHLORPYRIFOS - See Helicoverpa strategy 28 days and Mites Start date determined by canopy closure (see label) 14 days February 1 PROFENOFOS - See Helicoverpa strategy 28 days DICOFOL - NSW only + Ground application only 7 days - Max of 1 21 days ABAMECTIN - Max of 2, including H. punctigera sprays 20 days Mites Don't use pre squaring PROPARGITE 28 days sprays, Max of 2, including Helicoverpa sprays. 14 days - Max of 1 at any rate including Helicoverpa sprays 28 days SLW Refer Silverleaf whitefly Threshold Matrix and associated Notes Mirids WARNING Avoid early season omethoate/dimethoate use as it may compromise their efficacy and pirimicarb efficacy against aphids as well as flare other pests including silver leaf whitefly. 2009–2010 Insecticide Resistance Management Strategy for Cotton Southern Regions: Macquarie, Lachlan, Murrumbidgee Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Dec 15 Jan 15 Feb 15 See Cotton Pest Management Maximum 2 consecutive sprays of any one insecticide group, alone or in mixtures Post-Harvest Guide for FOLIAR Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) - on conventional and Bollgard cotton but EXCLUDING any refuges suggested Sprayed conventional HELICOVERPA VIRUSES - ( avoid season long use of low rates thresholds cotton crops defoliated - No restrictions after 9th March are AMITRAZ - Max of 4 more likely to harbour ENDOSULFAN see label for restrictions insecticide resistant ABAMECTIN - for H. punctigera, Max of 2, including mite sprays February 1 } Max 3 from 'mectins' group diapausing Helicoverpa armigera pupae and December 1 - Max of 3 should be pupae busted Helicoverpa *- Max of 3 as soon as possible after PYRETHROIDS & PYRETHROID MIXES picking and no later - PBO, Max of 2 - sprays, Max of 2, including mite sprays. than the end of August CHLORPYRIFOS - Max of 3 including mixtures February 1 } Other OPs - Max of 3 including mixtures METHOMYL - Max of 4 carbamates Including mixtures THIODICARB - Max of 4 carbamates Including mixtures * October 15th No use of Steward or Tracer on chickpeas after this date - Max of 3 December 1 * - Max of 3 Registered but currently - Max of 1 at any rate including mite sprays commercially unavailable CHLORPYRIFOS METHYL - Max of 3 including mixtures insecticides February 1 } PROFENOFOS - Max of 3 including mixtures Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Dec 15 Jan 15 Feb 15 See Cotton Pest 1. Maximum 2 sprays per mode of action group, including mixtures, unless otherwise indicated below. With- Post-Crop Management 2. Rotate chemistry. No consecutive use of the same group holding Management Guide for 3. Failures with neonicotinoids against aphids have been confirmed. Do not follow a Period suggested seed or planting insecticide with the first foliar spray from the same group. ALTERNATE thresholds Canopy Oil - No restrictions Nil See label } Seed dressing Nil See label Finish date determined by long withholding period 91 days STOP Aphids 28, 10 & 5 days Over winter- PIRIMICARB January 1 Use when beneficial conservation is important 21 days ing resistant Crop must be actively growing Finish date determined by crop growth (see label) 28 days populations ENDOSULFAN - see label for restrictions 28 days by practis- February 1 } DIMETHOATE & OMETHOATE 14 & 21 days ing good CHLORPYRIFOS -METHYL - see Helicoverpa strategy 5 days farm hygiene ALDICARB In furrow at sowing Nil See label (see IPM 70 days Guidelines) PHORATE in furrow at sowing or side dress Aphids February 1 CHLORPYRIFOS - See Helicoverpa strategy 28 days and Mites Start date determined by canopy closure (see label) 14 days February 1 PROFENOFOS - See Helicoverpa strategy 28 days DICOFOL - NSW only + Ground application only 7 days - Max of 1 21 days ABAMECTIN - Max of 2, including H. punctigera sprays 20 days Mites Don't use pre squaring PROPARGITE 28 days sprays, Max of 2, including Helicoverpa sprays. 14 days - Max of 1 at any rate including Helicoverpa sprays 28 days SLW Refer Silverleaf whitefly Threshold Matrix and associated Notes Mirids WARNING Avoid early season omethoate/dimethoate use as it may compromise their efficacy and pirimicarb efficacy against aphids as well as flare other pests including silver leaf whitefly. Effective against Chemical Groups for Rotation Helicoverpa (14) Mites (7) Aphids (7) Group. Chemical: Sold as 16A. METHOXYFENOZIDE (IGR): PRODIGY 11C. BT: DIPEL, COSTAR, MVP2, etc VIRUS. HELICOVERPA VIRUS (NPV's: GEMSTAR, VIVUS) OTHERS, CANOPY , ABRADE Canopy 28. RYNAXYPYR: ALTACOR 5A. SPINOSAD: TRACER 3A. PYRETHROID: BULLDOCK, DECIS, DOMINEX, FASTAC, KARATE, etc 3A. PYRETHROID (BIFENTHRIN): TALSTAR Suppress only 19A. AMITRAZ: AMITRAZ, OVASYN etc 2A. ENDOSULFAN: THIODAN etc. 22A. INDOXACARB: STEWARD 6A. AVERMECTIN: EMAMECTIN BENZOATE (AFFIRM) Suppress only 6A. AVERMECTIN: ABAMECTIN (WIZARD etc) H. punctigera only 1A. CARBAMATES: METHOMYL (NUDRIN, LANNATE etc), THIODICARB (LARVIN etc) 1A. CARBAMATE at planting: ALDICARB No cross resistance 1A. CARBAMATE Foliar: (PIRIMICARB) PIRIMOR, APHIDEX Cross resistance in Aphids - Treat Pirimicarb 1B. CHLORPYRIFOS (+ methyl) (OP):CHLORFOS, LORSBAN, PREDATOR, (RESCUE, DIPLOMAT) etc No cross resistance and group 1B as one 1B. PROFENOFOS (OP): CURACRON, SABRE etc No cross resistance chemical group. Do not use first foliar spray from 1B. Other OPs this group if seed or fur- At Planting or side-dress : THIMET, PHORATE row treatment from this Foliar: DIMETHOATE, OMETHOATE, PARATHION METHYL. group. 13A. CHLORFENAPYR: INTREPID 12B. DIAFENTHIURON: PEGASUS 4A. NEONICOTINOIDS (IMIDACLOPRID, THIAMETHOXAM ACETAMIPRID & CLOTHIANIDIN): Do not use first foliar spray from group 4a Seed treatments:GAUCHO, GENERO, AMPARO, CRUISER Foliar:CONFIDOR, ACTARA, INTRUDER,SHIELD if seed /furrow treatment from this group 9A. PYMETROZINE: FULFILL 2B. DICOFOL: KELTHANE, MITIFOL 14A. PROPARGITE: COMITE, BULLET 10A. ETOXAZOLE: PARAMITE Key Changes Key Guidelines 1. Altacor windowed: 1. Pupae bust cotton and alternative crop residues as soon as possible. Northern regions - Nov 15 - Feb 1 2. Use recommended thresholds for all pests. Central and southern regions: Dec 1 - Feb 15. 3. Monitor 1st position fruit retention at flowering. 2. Incorporation of the Darling Downs with the Central 4. Avoid using broad spectrum sprays. regions 3. New Southern Region IRMS incorporating Macquarie, 5. Monitor pest and beneficial populations. Lachlan and Murrumbidgee 6. Avoid continuous sprays from same group. 4. Northern: Steward moved 15 days further into the 7. Do not respray apparent failure with same group. season, Dec 1 - Feb 15. 8. Control weeds on farm which are hosts for pests. 5. Central: pyrethroids moved 1 month further into the 9. Comply with any insecticide use restrictions according to label. season, Jan 15 - end 6. Shield (clothianidin) added to Neonicotinoid group For more detailed information see web page: 7. Chemicals registered but not commercially available http://www.cottoncrc.org.au/content/Industry/Publications/ identified. PestsandBeneficials/Insect_Resistance_Management.aspx Trouble shooting: A TIMS sub-committee has been established to arbitrate in cases where individuals, groups or regions expect to have difficulties following the strategy guidelines. It includes representation from: CSIRO, Industry and Investment NSW; Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation Qld; Cotton Australia. If problems arise, contact: Tracey Farrell Phone 02 6792 4088 Fax: 02 6792 4400 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Produced by: Cotton Catchment Communities CRC, CRDC, CropLife, TIMS Layout and design– Cotton Catchment Communities CRC - Technology Resource Centre, TRC-09 09