Integrated pest mangement in conventional and transgenic cotton

摘要

Cotton is the third most important agricultural export for Australia, generating approximately A- 1.5 billion dollar (0.8 billion Euro) annually. Australia grows an average of 450,000 ha or approximately 1 million acres of cotton, equivalent to about20 % of the cotton grown in the US State of Texas. Despite the small area of the crop, consistently high yields and quality make Australia a significant exporter of cotton (the third largest exporter of cotton in the world). The number one limiting factor for Australian cotton production is the availability of water; production has declined in the past 3 seasons due to our most severe drought in 100 years. Insect and mite pests are the second most important limiting factor for Australian cotton production. For the 160 day growing season, cotton is attacked by Heli-coverpa spp., sucking pests and two-spotted mites. Traditional insecticide use has represented a significant proportion of variable cost of cotton production, a powerful driver for the selection of insecticide resistance, and of rising environmental concerns associated with the off-target drift of pesticides. Significant changes are underway in Australian cotton production, a move away from repeated use of older broad-spectrum insecticide groups that typified cotton production in the 1980s and 1990s, towards a more integrated approach. 70 % of the Australian cotton crop is now transgenic, containing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) genes for protection from Helicoverpa spp. Integrated pest management (IPM) in both conventional and transgenic cotton aims to integrate all means of managing pest populations while improving environmental and social responsibility and maintaining grower profitability. The implementation of resistance management andintegrated pest management, the availability of transgenic cotton and new selective chemistry with low application rates of active ingredient have enabled growers to continue to grow profitable cotton with reduced inputs of pesticides. Bayer CropScienceis a leading Research and Development company in Australian cotton and is in the process of building a bridge from its current conventional crop protection chemical business to a future business where conventional and transgenic products are fully integrated.