Pest Management In Cotton

Provides a comprehensive overview of the role of cotton in the economy and cotton production around the world This book offers a complete look at the world’s largest fiber crop: cotton. It examines its effect on the global economy—its uses and products, harvesting and processing, as well as the major challenges and their solutions, recent trends, and modern technologies involved in worldwide production of cotton. Cotton Production presents recent developments achieved by major cotton producing regions around the world, including China, India, USA, Pakistan, Turkey and Europe, South America, Central Asia, and Australia. In addition to origin and history, it discusses the recent advances in management practices, as well as the agronomic challenges and the solutions in the major cotton producing areas of the world. Keeping a focus on global context, the book provides sufficient details regarding the management of cotton crops. These details are not limited to the choice of cultivar, soil management, fertilizer and water management, pest control, cotton harvesting, and processing. The first book to cover all aspects of cotton production in a global context Details the role of cotton in the economy, the uses and products of cotton, and its harvesting and processing Discusses the current state of cotton management practices and issues within and around the world’s cotton producing areas Provides insight into the ways to improve cotton productivity in order to keep pace with the growing needs of an increasing population Cotton Production is an essential book for students taking courses in agronomy and cropping systems as well as a reference for agricultural advisors, extension specialists, and professionals throughout the industry.

Factors affecting cotton production practices; Contemporary practices for pest management; Current trends and future alternatives in pest management; Developments in the cotton industry with potential; Delivery of integrated pest management programs; Effects of adopting alternative pest control practives; Relative environmental stress of producing.

Pest management information covers nearly 100 pest problems, including information on pesticide resistance, cotton aphid, silverleaf whitefly, pink bollworm, boll weevil, Fusarium wilt, Verticillium wilt, seedling diseases, velvetleaf, and disease-resistant cotton varieties. 180 color plates.

This book presents a global overview of the background to, and the current state of, crop protection and pest management in cotton crops. Cotton is one of the most economically important crops in the world and has been grown for centuries but maintaining high yields of good quality requires sophisticated approaches to pest management. The introduction and use of pesticides over the decades significantly increased cotton yields but lead to many adverse environmental impacts. Over time, new and alternative insecticides were developed but overuse has enabled pests to develop significant resistance. The development of genetically modified cotton varieties with toxins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis enabled much improved control of lepidopteran larvae, including bollworms, but as the toxins had no effect on sucking pests, farmers had no choice but to continue using insecticides. Also, some of the new cotton varieties developed in recent times have not adapted to different climatic conditions and the quality of cotton fibre declined as a result. This book shows the need for more research to select cotton varieties with high quality fibres suitable for different cotton growing areas and to develop integrated pest management strategies to minimise the use of pesticides. It also demonstrates the need for an inter-disciplinary approach bringing together plant breeders, entomologists, plant pathologists, agronomists and agricultural engineers to achieve high yields of high quality cotton.

The cotton plant; Insects and mites; Pest management.

The book covers many recent advances pertaining to research on cotton. The useful information is provided on the marks of identification, life cycle, damage, hosts and various control measures of cotton pests. The book also provides rearing technique for some cotton pests and their biocontrol agents (parasitoids). As biological control is integral part of pest management, emphasis is given on the cotton-pest parasitoid interactions. Many cotton pests have developed the resistance against several insecticides. Infact, insecticidal use leads to very serious problems like secondary pest out-break, pest resurgence, interruption in ecocycles, air and water pollution, health hazards, killing of beneficial insects, etc. The knowledge on cotton pest parasitoids will facilitate the control of pests on cotton ecosystem by biological means. Several plates and illustrations enhance the pictorial value of the book. This book will be a useful guide to farmers, students, teachers and researchers in the pest management and of use as text book at graduate/post graduate level in agriculture. Contents: Chapter 1: Introduction, Chapter 2: Cotton Pests and their Control, Chapter 3: Rearing of Pests and their Parasitoids, Chapter 4: Pest Parasitoid Interactions (i) Nutrition, (ii) Mating Behaviour, (iii) Oviposition Behaviour (iv) Superparasitism, (v) Host Age Selection, (vi) Host Specificity, (vii) Life Tables and Intrinsic Rate of Increase, Chapter 5: Pest Parasitoid Crop Interactions, Chapter 6: Summary.