Cotton pest control trials in northern and south-western Queensland

Abstract

In 1959 two cotton pest trials were carried out in northern Queensland and during 1959-60 four in south-western Queensland. All trials were in irrigated crops. One involved fruit-form removal, three covered the effects of insecticide applications on yields, and two were screening trials for kills of Earias huegeli Rogen. In two of the insecticide trials fruit-form production studies were also made.
The trial concerned with fruit-form removal indicated that early season loss of fruit forms did not adversely affect yields in irrigated cotton in northern Queensland. Yield trial results showed that reasonable commercial control of the major pest species, E. huegeli and H eliothis annigera (Huhn.) in northern Queensland and E. huegeli and H. punctigera Wallengr. in the south-west, is possible by using DDT and endrin. The screening trials proved that of the materials tested, "Telodrin" is the only one likely to improve commercial control of E. huegeli.
Fruit-form production studies proved that although insecticides give considerable yield increases, the basic problem in both areas is the inability of the cotton varieties in use to produce regularly under current cultural conditions the fruit forms necessary for high potential yield.