California cotton growers utilize integrated pest management

Abstract

standing of growers' pest management decision-making processes. With this understanding, we will be better able to direct extension efforts to promote the inclusion of rational decision-making in the choice of pesticides, the increased use of reduced-risk pesticides, and the greater acceptance of biologically intensive practices by growers. Establishing baseline IPM usageUC IPM selected two cropping systems in California to begin establishing baseline IPM usage data and examine growers' decision-making criteria. Almonds (Brodt et al. 2005) and cotton were chosen because of their extensive acreage, use of certain high-risk pesticides and long history of UC IPM efforts in promoting IPM. This article reports on results from the cotton survey conducted in 2000 and highlights selected results from the almond survey for comparison. The purpose of both surveys was to assess pest management strategies used by growers; pest management decision-making, including knowledge sources for IPM; and grower familiarity with and attitudes about IPM, as well as other general farm characteristics. RESEARCH ARTIClEt mately 70% of U.S. farmland by 2000, much of this perceived progress could be attributed to rudimentary monitoring and prevention practices. More significant practices, such as biologically based pest control methods, had been adopted on as little as 3% and up to 47% of cropland, depending on the crop.UC IPM was established in 1979 to develop and promote the use of IPM throughout California. The program uses federal Smith-Lever 3(d) funding for IPM extension and outreach, and therefore is required by the Government Results and Performance Act of 1993 to establish methods for reporting program accountability and performance. To meet the requirements of this legislation, the national IPM program requested that UC IPM develop baseline measurements of IPM usage so that future progress could be measured.Beyond collecting data for reporting purposes, information about IPM adoption will help to address growing public concern about the implications of pesticide use on the environment and human health, and the increasing consumer demand for lower-risk pesticides on food and fiber crops. These demands can only be met by improving our under-

Influence of the surrounding landscape on crop colonization by a polyphagous insect pest

“…Alfalfa has long been considered a key host for L. hesperus , recognized as an important source of L. hesperus when it is harvested (Stern et al., ; Sevacherian & Stern, ), but also thought to act as a trap‐crop for L. hesperus when managed with strip‐cutting (Stern et al., , ; Summers et al., ). According to a 2000 survey, strip‐cutting of alfalfa has been adopted by 51% of California cotton growers (Brodt et al., ; Goodell, ). Goodell & Lynn‐Patterson () observed a negative relationship between the area of alfalfa in the agricultural landscape and the number of pesticide applications targeting L. hesperus in cotton.…”

Toxicity of dietary methylmercury to fish: Derivation of ecologically meaningful threshold concentrations

“…The concept of leaving as many uncut strips as possible in an alfalfa field during the months of May, June and July was widely practiced in the early 2000s and incorporated into the UC Pest Management Guidelines for Cotton 9. In a 2000 survey of IPM use by California cotton growers, 51% of respondents who used non‐affiliated pest control advisers (PCAs) reported that they ‘manage Lygus in surrounding alfalfa by strip cutting’ 10. A non‐affiliated PCA was defined as a person providing IPM service but connected to sales of pesticide products, and also included PCAs hired directly by the farm.…”

“…However, these are the exceptions, and interplanted alfalfa in cotton never really gained wide adoption. In the 2000 survey of IPM use in California cotton, only 4% of respondents reported that they ‘intercrop alfalfa with cotton’, regardless of PCA affiliation 10…”

“…The limitation was the break‐even point between lost cotton production and cost of whole‐field applications. However, only 4–5% of respondents reported using buffer strips to attract Lygus and natural enemies, regardless of PCA affiliation 10…”

Fifty years of the integrated control concept: the role of landscape ecology in IPM in San Joaquin valley cotton

“…The authors recently tested the validity of the approach, some 30 years since its inception, and found the recommendations to be valid (unpublished data). In the 2000 survey of cotton IPM practices, between 39% and 45% of growers responded that they ‘manage Lygus in neighboring crops such as safflower to mitigate migration’ 10…”