• Cotton is the leading cash crop in Texas. Texas ranks first in U.S. cotton production.
• Cotton generates $1.6 billion for farmers, with a state-wide economic impact of $5.2 billion.
• Cotton is grown on five million acres in six different regions, each with different production systems and variations in climate, soil type, rainfall and irrigation, and harvesting techniques.

• Key insects include boll weevil, bollworm, fleahoppers, aphids, and thrips. Other pests include budworm, cutworms, beet armyworm, spider mites, whiteflies, and other foliage feeders.
• 12% of Texas cotton acreage is planted with Bt cotton. Bt cotton is genetically altered to naturally control the bollworm as the insect feeds on the plant.
• The boll weevil is the most damaging insect and involves 37% of all insecticide use. The Boll Weevil Eradication Program is a complex area-wide self-tax/cost-sharing program by farmers to eliminate this pest.
• Five organophosphates (OP) make up 66% of all insecticide use and carbamates consist of 11% of the insecticides in Texas cotton.
• Major insecticides include methyl parathion (OP), malathion (OP), azinphos-methyl (Guthion-OP), profenofos (Curacron-OP), aldicarb (Temik-carbamate), dicrotophos (Bidrin-OP), oxamyl (Vydate-carbamate). Other insecticides include acephate (Orthene-OP), phorate (Thimet-OP), and carbofuran (Furadan-carbamate).

• All planting seeds treated with a fungicide to reduce seedling diseases. Cotton diseases include bacterial blight, cotton root rot, and fusarium wilt but are not treated.
• Nematodes are a major problem but chemicals are not economical in most situations. Crop rotation helps alleviate disease and nematode problems. Weeds
• Weeds reduce yields and quality, and hamper mechanical harvesting. Weeds delay fruiting and prolong crop exposure to insect and disease pests.
• Cultivation is practiced by 98% of cotton growers. Hand hoeing works but is costly. Cultivation and rotations supplement chemical weed control but are not an alternative for herbicides.
• The most troublesome weeds in Texas cotton include annual weeds (pigweed, cocklebur, morningglory, sunflower, devil’s claw) and perennial weeds (johnsongrass, silverleaf nightshade, woolyleaf bursage, Texas blueweed, nutsedge).
• Trifluralin (Treflan) is applied to 48% or more of the crop.

• Plant Growth Regulators (PGR) modify plant growth to improve production efficiency. Ethephon (Prep and others) and mepiquat chloride (Pix) are applied on 18% of the total acreage.
• 57% of the crop is treated with a harvest-aid chemical for earlier harvest and to reduce late-season insects..
• Defoliants tribufos (DEF/Folex – an OP) and thidiazuron (Dropp or Ginstar) are applied on 51% of the acreage in 24% of applications.

• For latest information regarding these issues and status of risk assessments contact j-anciso@tamu.edu or visit ipmwww.ncsu.edu/opmppiap and www.epa.gov/pesticides.
• Genetically-enhanced seed, such as Roundup Ready and Bt traits help reduce the number and volume of pesticides in cotton.
• The Boll Weevil Eradication Program shows promise to reduce insecticide use.

Educational programs conducted by Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas A&M University, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level race, color, sex, religion, handicap or national origin.