Since 1989, large annual cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii) populations in Midsouth and Southeastern USA cotton have been rapidly reduced each year by epizootics caused by the fungal pathogen, Neozygites fresenii. In 1993 we began a program, funded by Cotton Incorporated, to sample cotton aphids from cotton fields and predict the natural declines caused by the fungus. This program completed its 10th year in 2002 and now encompasses the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The purpose of the program is to assist cotton growers, consultants, and extension and research personnel to make informed decisions about whether or not to apply insecticides for cotton aphid control. This program is an example of using insect pathology and biological control research for applied IPM. An overview of 10 years experience with this program will be given.
Species 1: Homoptera Aphididae Aphis gossypii (cotton aphid, melon aphid)
Species 2: Entomophthorales Neozygitaceae Neozygites fresenii (cotton aphid fungus)
Keywords: cotton IPM, natural epizootics
Back to Ten-Minute Papers, Subsection Ce. Insect Pathology and Microbial Control
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Back to The 2002 ESA Annual Meeting and Exhibition