Colonization patterns of the boll weevil in Lower Rio Grande Valley Texas cotton during the growing season
| Problem: | The heavy use of insecticides for suppression of boll weevils in cotton is expensive and creates environmental problems. Improvements may be possible by spraying selected sites of cotton fields depending on boll weevil colonization. There is contradictory information about boll weevil distribution in the fields. However, colonization patterns have not been experimentally demonstrated. |
| Objective: | Examine during the cotton growing season boll weevil colonization patterns in LRGV Texas cotton based on spatial and temporal patterns of density and damage of boll weevils. |
| Approach: | The experiments will be conducted in commercial cotton fields (not less than 20 acres). We will make weekly collections from permanent selected one m2 sites from edge to middle of the field (every 10 m in row and between rows) in concentric patterns: boll weevil adults and fallen infested squares, and also damage fruit on the plants will be checked. |
Sasha M. Greenburg