Use of mating disruption in cotton in North and South America

The pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), is one of the most serious pests of cotton worldwide causing losses in both yield and quality. Control with conventional insecticides is difficult because the pest is well protected within cotton squares and bolls. Furthermore insecticide costs are high and applications of broad-spectrum materials have contributed to outbreaks of secondary pests. Mating disruption has provided a viable alternative for pink bollworm control. Development of mating disruption for the pink bollworm began 25 years ago and the first EPA registration of a pheromone formulation for mating disruption was issued for the pink bollworm in 1978. Since that time many formulations have been developed and commercialized. These materials represent various use methods and modes-of-action. The effectiveness of these formulations has been demonstrated in several areawide programs. These programs integrate IPM techniques conducive to mating disruption and avoid some of the factors detrimental to the technique.