• Charles Allen gave a word of welcome and opened the meeting at 1:00 p.m. He expressed appreciation to Dr. James Coppedge for local arrangements and use of facility. He requested everyone review the minutes from last year's meeting.

 
• James Coppedge reviewed local arrangements and also gave a word of welcome.

• Ray Frisbie gave welcome from Administrators. He stated boll weevil group was one of the most active IEG groups. Regrets for James Harper unable to attend. Re-submitted 5 year plan (1999-2004), it was renewed. Web site for SERA-IEG 23 information, meeting minutes, program agenda, etc. is: http://cipm.ncsu.edu/ent/Southern_Region/SAAESD/cotton.html

• J. Coppedge reviewed 5 year plan for ARS research with top priorities. Next year will update 5 year plan in conjunction with this meeting. We do not want to duplicate state research. Research priorities on web at //scrl.usda.gov/scrl/apmru.insects/boll_weevil/Homepage.htm

Studies of boll weevil diapause and corresponding models to help more precisely time sprays.
 

Monitoring for Malathion resistance.
 

Field studies on effects of formulations, additives, dosage, and application parameters on efficacy of Malathion.
 

Develop and evaluate biological and biologically based technology for use in environmentally sensitive areas and other areas where the use of Malathion is restricted.
 

Design and evaluate new aerial application systems that improve efficacy and reduce drift.
 

Study boll weevil movement and activity relative to meteorological events.
 

Develop molecular methods for fingerprinting boll weevils with initial emphasis on separating boll weevils and thurberia weevils.
 

Identify and evaluate new insecticides for use in the boll weevil eradication program. Emphasis should be on those which can be applied ULV.
 

Determine impact of pheromone dosage, trap density, trap placement, and other parameters on capture of boll weevil in traps.
 

Eric Villavaso (moderator)

• Eric Villavaso - reviewed Malathion rate data (10, 12, 16 oz. rates) near MS State within eradication program area. Cotton leaves collected immediately after application. 20 weevils place on leaves in 20 Petri dishes, evaluated mortality at 0 hrs. followed by 24 hr. intervals for all three rates. Mortality not much different between 0 hrs. and 24 hours. 85-100% at 0, 93-100% at 1 day, 60-98% in 2 days, 60-88% in 3 days, 73-68% in 5 days after cotton sprayed. Leaves were also collected on day of spray and placed weevils on for ½ hr., 1 hr., 2 hr., 4 hrs., and removed. Mortality was taken 24 hrs. after these exposures. 10 oz. rate with ½ hr. exposure was less or delayed. After 1 hr. exposure or more, mortality was equal for all doses. Weevils were collected with blooms in field and allowed to stay on for 24 hrs. At 2 hrs. & 12 hrs., mortality was lower at 10 & 12 oz. vs 16 oz. rate. 4 hr. was the same but 8 hrs. & 20 hrs. equalizes.

Rain can have a significant effect, even at .1 - .2 inches, on Malathion efficacy (20 - 30% reductions).
 

Two mist blowers were tested (Big John, Automatic) with and against the wind for mortality. Achieved 50% at 10 meters against the wind and 20 meters with the wind. Tried to determine the amount of Malathion on a leaf to kill a weevil. 7-8 micrograms/cm of leaf surface gave 90% mortality. Evaluations were 24 hr. & 48 hr.
 

What's the bottom line? The more malathion you can put out the better. 32 oz. would be the best but not practical. Trying to find the lowest dose the program could feel safe with. The best thing you can do around small fields where you're not getting good control is use the mist blowers as much as possible.
 

What about dew and dilution? Apparently, doesn't affect mortality. Must settle back down once the dew dries..
 

• Bob Jones - Malathion when not mixed with water is not affected by dew.

• Don Johnson - reported on boll weevil trials in Arkansas since '88. Converted everything over to % mortality. Numbers of entries ranged from 1-6 with initiation later in the season (July - August) and sprayed on a 4-5 day schedule (Monday - Friday - Wednesday). Usually made 5-6 applications. Evaluations made 2-3 days after the 3^rd application (minimum). % reduction /control was evaluated by damaged squares (25/plot).

 Cythion RTU = 47.6%, Guthion .25 - .50 = 24.5% - 51%, Imidan = .5 - 1.0 = 25%, Methyl Parathion .5 = 35%, PenncapM .25 - .50 = 33% - 50%, Bidrin .5 = 62%. Organophosphates averaged 36%.
 

What was spray threshold? 10-15%. By 3^rd application, untreated check was running 50-60% damage. Plot size was 12 rows by 50' with 1 row between plots.
 

Vydate .25 - .50 = 42% and 53%, average = 47%. Phaser/Thiodan .25 - .50 = 45% - 50%, average = 45% (no much rate response).
 

Regent 80W .05 - .068 = 66.8% & 62.%, Regent 2.5 .05 - .068 = 64.7% and 61%.

Regent averaged 63%.
 

Pyrethroids averaged about 64%. Asana .036 - .042 = 71.8% - 79.4%, Baythroid .025 = 74%, .028 = 81%, .03 = 74%, .04 = 86%, Capture 74% - 78%, Fury 57%, Decis 54%, Karate .025 - .03= 62% - 64%, Karate Z 83%, ScoutXtra 50 - 61%.
 

• Roy Parker - we saw similar results with pyrethroids (Karate, Baythroid) several years ago. Our average punctured squares = 10% vs standard OP's at 15-16%. When it came to yield, other products out-yielded pyrethroids because of aphid outbreaks.

• Don - most of these were late season and only saw yield differences 2 years when we started early (3^rd week July). 100 lb. increase when compared to Guthion and untreated check. Avoid early use due to resistance problems and aphids. Recommend OPs and Vydate early season. Some abuse early and later had plant bug problems, TBW or aphids. Some of the combinations we used trying to improve control were: ScoutXtra & Vydate = 76.5%, Baythroid & Guthion = 83.2%, Karate & Vydate = 81.1%, Asana &Vydate = 74.5%, Decis & Phaser/Thiodan = 92.2%, Ammo & Methyl Thiodan = 69.3%, Orthene & Vydate = 47.7%.

• Buddy Kirk - electrostatic application of Fipronyl. Hoping electrostatic technique would give better coverage on underside of leaves. Looking at charges and materials that would accept a high charge to mass ratio. Fipronyl took on a higher charge to mass ratio than any other insecticide. We understood Rhone Poulenc was interested. Looked at three treatments: .05 a.i. in 1 gal./ac. spray mix in water, ULV .05 a.i. in 12 oz. cotton seed oil/ac. and ULV 12 oz. Malathion. Tried to apply these similar to ULV Malathion. Also tried to use a low single nozzle flow rate while keeping as high a charge to mass ratio as possible. Unless the ratio is at a certain level, it's not going to work. Day 0, electrostatic Regent and ULV Malathion was better than ULV Regent, Day 3, electrostatic Regent was better than ULV Malathion or ULV Regent.

Any idea why ULV Regent wasn't effective? No
 

• Joe Mulrooney - reported on ULV Malathion in oil adjuvants. In '98, looked at ½ rate. Once refined cotton seed oil (CSO), Orchex, HM9737A (drip retardant) and undiluted spray of 12 oz. of Malathion. Oil mixtures were 32 ozs. total volume. Used weevils in Petri dish and bioassay. CSO looked good vs other oils and undiluted spray. Ground sprayer test mortalities were not quite as high as aerial. Average mortality from two aerial tests for day 1, 2, 3 & 4 were: 100%, 100%, 92%, & 92% for CSO, 95%, 82%, 72%, & 54% for Orchex. In 1997, a test was done with ground sprayer using 4 oz. Malathion & Orchex for 37 oz. total volume vs 4 oz. Malathion & Orchex for 16 oz. total volume. Mortalities were not much different and oil volume may not have much effect on efficacy of Malathion.

 Followed up with lab test to see if mortality in CSO was real. Sprayed leaves with 100 micro liters of 12 milligram rate of Malathion in CSO. Showing approx. 1/10 the rate with CSO gave equivalent mortality to other treatments although these are very high rates.
 

Another test with Fipronyl & CSO produced a mortality of about 35% when weevils crawled approx. 14 cm.
 

What does this mean? CSO can be used to lower rates. 8 oz. Malathion & 8 oz. CSO (16 oz. total volume) would be possible. No problems with phytotoxicity? No.
 

Could be a cost savings of about $1.00/ac.
 

Tested two ground sprayers in Texas. One was air-assisted bloom and other was mist blower mounted on hi-boy. Mist blower had erratic distribution (16 oz. undiluted Malathion) but conditions were poor; 50°F, winds 7-10 mph. Swath displacement was about 12'. Saw two peaks w/ less deposits in middle with residue 200' down wind. Air assist gave better deposition (16 ozs. Malathion & 16 ozs. oil), although mist blower may have had higher total deposition. Which has larger droplet size? Probably mist blower. (60' swath width) but has more vertical movement.
 

• Dale Spurgeon - moderator

• Tom Plato - response is 180° different from 5 yrs. of other testing. We don't know what it is, but if we don't work with you we'll never know.

• Tina Teague - working on alternative tactics to control boll weevils in NE Arkansas. Work started in '96 with 3 treatments: nothing, standard bait stick, and bait stick w/o color or toxicant but pheromone. Treatments were 1500' long, replicated in 5 fields in 3 different counties (similar overwintering habitat). Test ran season long and evaluated the next spring with pheromone traps. Untreated had most weevils. Pheromone only had less. Bait stick was about the same (slightly lower in '96). Sticks were placed 100' apart. Damage was low. Hard to tell much. Poor habitat = low density.

• Gerald McKibben- It's difficult to use pheromone traps to measure results.

• Question about bait stick results. Eric - our data from MS in '98 got totally opposite results. I don't know why but we're consistent about it.

• John Westbrook - boll weevil trapping data (Caldwell Trapline). Mark & release program. Relating captures to weather patterns (wind) and seeing weevils move south as "weather fronts" move through. Also looking at factors which control emergence and overwintering like ambient temperature. Tremendous variation in temperature profiles in different patches of leaf litter. This causes a lot of variation in the prediction model.

• Ken Beerwinkle - electronic counting boll weevil trap, "a million dollar solution for a $50 problem." Logging time a weevil enters the trap by a light sensor with air assist capture mechanism. Uses a Hobo event logger - up to 8000 events.

• Randy Coleman - alternative host of boll weevil - sulfur mallow - found in poorly drained range land areas of south Texas. Fruiting forms available 48 days prior to cotton squares. Weevil infestations ranged from 0 - 30% (average 8%) with low level adult emergence (2%) from fruiting structures. Non-cotton habitat will require management. Weevils in field plot had 33% parasitisum with 95% attributed to native parasitoid. 21 weevils emerged, 8 still alive at the first of the year. Primarily Catolaccus hunteri, but also found Bracon melitor. Looked at exotic parasitoids that attack boll weevil in cotton and other host plants (Catolaccous grandis and two other Bracon species). We will continue to look at.

• Dick Hardee - How significant is this host plant in an active eradication zone? Don't know. In the valley, its very low density is insignificant in comparison to regrowth and volunteer cotton.

• Dick - In the 4^th or 5^th year of a program, a single boll weevil is significant. If we know a alternate host plant exist, then something needs to be done.

• Dale Spurgeon - There are also Wildlife Refuges to think about. Under IPM scenario, alternate host are probably not a factor but in eradication zone, it automatically becomes a factor.

• Gerald - can this host sustain a weevil population throughout the year?

• Randy - No, but weevils can go reproductive on this host alone without cotton. What we've seen is weevils moving from cotton once its finished. Will be working on life tables using caged weevils.

• Roy Parker - when getting a signature on the plant, will you have to do this more than once or a different time of year?

• Randy - There may be a window that's better than another. I'm not completely convinced we can get a signature. It will take a clear day to get a reflectant, especially since it's a prostrate plant. You can go back to where Dr. Lukafer said the plant occurred 30 years ago and find it.

• Roy - research needs to continue in this area with some alternative tactics employed.

• Randy - pathogenic nematode (Steinernoma riobravis). First instar boll weevil most susceptible. Nematode most effective in the soil. Problem is most weevils are in 2-3rd instar on the ground. Greenhouse study was done with three treatments: squares on the ground surface, bolls on the surface and bolls buried. S. riobravis was sprayed at a rate of 400,000 nematodes / square meter (commercial rate). Moisture is very important for mortality. Higher mortality when buried vs on the surface. Plan to do a field study this year.

• Gretchen Jones - boll weevils and pollen. Data taken from 1 location in Mississippi (Elizabeth) and 3 in Texas (Uvalde, Crockett, and Lundy). Three zones in Texas had very different vegetation. 5081 weevils collected during 1 year in MS and 486 during 3 months in Texas. 80% with pollen in TX, 311 taxa, 159 identified. 87% with pollen in MS, 301 taxa, 226 identified. TX - 58 families, 97 genera, 46 species. MS - 82 families, 132 genera, 29 species. Primary pollens found were corn, sunflower and soybean. Bean family pollens were more common in TX than MS. Pollen located in the gut area.

• Don Johnson - overwintering survival as affected by temperature in NE Arkansas. Looking at alternative tactics to eradicate. Possibly begin eradication after a cold winter. Need to know what effect cold winter will have on mortality. Pheromone trap data: winter of '94-'95 was cold, '96 spring trap captures indicated 99% reduction in weevil numbers; winter of '94 - '95 warmer, followed by 83% reduction. Looking at differences in micro habitat. Ambient air is 5-6 degrees colder than within habitat (leaf litter). Looked at different temperatures and substrates on mortality: 0 to -15°C, no substrate, dry leaves, moist leaves. Exposure of 1, 2, 4 & 8 hrs. at -7.5°C. There's an interaction between dry and moist. The longer the exposure the higher the mortality. Moisture also increases mortality. Often, soil temp will not get below 30°F in habitat.

 Did work on identifying overwintering habitat with satellite imagery (30 meter resolution). Mapped weevil trap catches using GPS technology. We had hot spots near wooded areas, with some effect of grassy areas. Use national Ag Stat to map cotton and other crops as well as wooded area. Digital Orthoquads have better resolution but are black and white. Produced by U.S.G.S. - flying 1 county at a time. Trying to map counties with eradication first.
 

• Jim Leser - boll weevil grid trapping in Texas. Traps placed at or within 1 mile of cotton. Currently have 537 traps in 28 county area. Run from April 1^st until first killing frost. Also did habitat sampling. Many areas increased in numbers since '97 but survival is influenced by dry conditions and not temperature. '98 had high numbers in overwintering habitat but numbers did not materialize in the spring. Seeing the same pattern this year. It "messes up" your prediction to growers. We have to manage weevils (cut off food supply) in fall because unlike the Rolling Plains we can't delay planting date. This can have a major impact on the number we see next year. In '97, 75% of weevils trapped emerged during a time which they would have lived long enough to find squaring cotton. In '98 that number was only 25%.

• Don Rummel - fat content of diapausing weevils and the relationship to overwintered survival. Evaluated weevils from artificial diet, squares, small bolls and large bolls. Categorized according to fat content: 1 - firm diapause, 2 - intermediate, 3 - low. Some differences between artificial diet, squares and small bolls. Within large boll group - 90% of weevils fell into low fat rating with reduced winter survival and early emergence pattern. Also evaluated winter survival and emergence of weevils from trap captures vs some reared from and fed on squares. Mid-October group - fed weevils emerged later than trap weevils but not much difference. Survival rate was about the same. A later group of weevils from traps had lower fat content. Survival was low with a much earlier emergence. By mid-April, 75% had emerged - not much of a threat to cotton. We see a lot of weevils late (Nov.-Dec.) in our area emerging out of late bolls. Same test last year produced 15% survival in control cohart vs 1½ % and significantly early emergence pattern in low fat weevil. Fat content plays a very important role in winter survival and the emergence pattern.

• Tom Sappington - pheromone trap captures as population indicators. See a lot of variation with varying climate conditions and differences from trap to trap. Trying to identify some of the larger factors causing variability in trap captures. Higher wind speeds have a negative correlation with trap captures. Low wind speeds (0-10 kph) there's no difference in the number of weevils you catch on one side of a brush line or the other. At higher speeds (10-20 kph, 6-12 mph) you get significant differences. 5x as many weevils captured on leeward side as windward size of brush line. Winds above 20 kph - about 3x as many on leeward side. Most traps in this test had an east-west orientation.

 Looked a Lubbock and Weslaco weevils. Not much difference in survival between the two.
 

Survival of weevils from trap lines (early Nov.) was low. A few lived a couple of months. Reproductive status varied in both males and females.
 

We're sexing weevils by looking at genitalia to improve accuracy. Also using cuticular hydrocarbons to identify age distribution of weevils. Looking for diagnostic estimate using profiles.
 

• Dick Hardee- I'm confident that I can sex 300 weevils/hr. with 99% accuracy by looking at the proboscis.

• Eric Villavaso - data on diapausing weevils using respirometer work from 1997 - Wagner, Villavaso, McGovern. Placed 1 weevil/chamber. Compared respiration rates on bolls vs squares, male vs female, diapause vs non-diapause weevil. Reproductive females - no difference. Males - no difference. Differences are in reproductive vs diapausing males and females. Diapause has lower respiration or CO₂ production. A distinct break in diapausing and reproductive females occurs at day two. CO₂ production of reproductive females is higher than reproductive males but CO₂ production of diapausing males and females is about the same.

• Tina Taub-Montemayor - endocrinology of diapause. (Laura Hanson's graduate work) Compared Mississippi & Texas weevils. Some earlier work showed a correlation between JH esterase enzyme and diapause with higher levels present in diapause weevils. Laura was looking for threshold of JHE activity in diapausing vs reproductive as a predictor. Difference in MS vs TX weevils with pretty good separation of about 100 nanamoles of JHE. 98% of weevils fall either side of that error. In MS weevils, elevated JHE levels are correlated with diapause. Weevils were 14 days old. Separation not as good in TX weevils. High JHE associated with diapause but not as good a fit. MS diapausing weevils have higher JHE values vs TX weevils while reproductive weevils have lower values in MS vs TX. Therefore, there are more extreme differences for the MS weevils. Diapause in MS weevils was determined by fat body and gonadal development. TX was distinguished by their ability to survive.

• Tom Plato- are there differences in east TX, South TX, etc.?

• Tina - Earlier work noted some differences from Rio Grande Valley weevils.They were less tightly correlated to elevation of JHE.

 Fairly confident that this relationship holds. Now we want to know the regulation of JHE. Looking at methoprene treatments (JH analog). MS weevils treated with methoprene had a lower % diapause. Methoprene caused irritation of ovarian development. Methoprene suppresses JHE. OTFP is an inhibitor of JHE. Applied to weevils it reduces JHE activity and inhibits JHE in weevils. OTFP treatments did not suppress diapause.
 

This suggest that there is a correlation between JHE and diapause but that JHE does not have a direct role or cause diapause.
 

Future work will look at reproductive development in males and role of JH.
 

Take home message? Must understand basic biology before we can eradicate/control. Also learning role of JH in insect growth regulators. Work also developing predictors of diapause by taking a small hemolymph sample to determine survival.
 

• Dale Spurgeon - diapause induction. Looked at under every combination of long days, warms days, cool nights vs long, warm days and warm nights and same thing with short days. The only thing that makes a difference is how much you feed them. Temperature does not make a difference in how many go into diapause. Weevils were fed squares. Males outlived females. Those fed 14 days outlived those fed 7 and 21 days.

• Ken Beerwinkle - working on trap crops. Using grandlure and attracting weevils to other crops such as corn and soybeans. Preliminary, we will have a paper in Beltwide report.

• Tina Teague - alternative control tactics. Low weevil densities and lack of producer support for a conventional eradication program initiated this work. Using transplanted cotton and pheromones as a trap crop. Starts squaring on 3-4th node. Can also draw weevils late in the season by mowing about the time commercial crop begins to bloom and getting re-growth from trap crop. Supplement with pheromone. Get a lot of weevils. Treat it twice a week with Malathion.

• Dick Hardee - baitstick trial in south MS in eradication area - low weevil density. Trying to see if sticks can substitute for diapause or pinhead square applications. One year's data looks promising. Start second year this spring. Three treatments: bait sticks in fall, spring and no bait sticks. We will evaluate with trap catches and square damage. This is in combination with diapause sprays.

• Aubrey Harris - Malathion residues in catfish. Issue was not toxicity but residues. Aerial applicators said they could not control drift when spraying. Some growers were caught and fined for using Malathion in the ponds to control a gill disease and scale fish. They blamed the program although it had not started yet. Major issue: 100,000 acres of catfish ponds - a high value crop to MS. There's a zero tolerance for pesticide in fish. Spray drift is only likely source of Malathion since there's no runoff or pumped surface water. Water comes from deep wells. Joe Mulroney's work with aerial applications looking at 20 swaths directly upwind and adjacent to the pond showed very low levels, 1.4 - 14.0 parts/billion which were created by a small and large airplane respectively. During the day, pH fluctuates from 7-9 within a pond and is important in the degradation of Malathion. A direct application of Malathion to a pond was calculated to be 70 parts/billion. Evaluated residues after application at day 0 (withing 15 minutes), 1, 2, and 3. Rapid degradation within 3 days. Catfish carcasses and filets analyzed 1 day afer dosage showed no Malathion detected quantitatively at 0.02 parts/million. Previous reference in water samples was parts/billion or a 1000 fold difference. This level is 4 times what FDA uses.

• Juan Lopez - control techniques based on feeding stimulants and attractants for adults. This concentrates insects into strips. We identified a feeding attractant - have patent pending. Identified insecticides with IGRs that are effective. Looking at alternative chemistry to kill the moths (bollworm) like carbaryl, methomyl, and Tracer which are pretty selective. Tracer kills slow but after 48 hrs., 2.5 ppm active ingredients in sugar killed all the moths. In 24 hrs, LC 50 was 5. Mixing sub lethal amounts of Tracer with the feeding stimulant and fed to moths. 50-250 ppb reduces egg hatch. 1 ppm keeps eggs from hatching. Also saw modification of oviposition behavior - they lay eggs in clumps. Larvae develop but die as they emerge. Don't know if this is transovarial transmission from female or contamination from the outside, whatever the case, we're excited about the possibility, especially the selective activity.

 One other thing - Beet Armyworm pheromone trap captures were high in '95 and '96 but low in '97 and '98. Some may have overwintered in '95. It appears that high numbers late in season may produce potential to have BAW early next season.
 

Fall Armyworm has good response to our feeding attractant but BAW does not. Spodoptera apparently don't feed as much as the other noctuids - I don't know for sure. The stimulant is broadly effective on noctuids. Attractant seems to be species specific; Heliothis, European corn borer and pickleworm.
 

Also developing an attractant for cotton fleahopper in TX and surrounding areas. It has an egg diapause and emerge in the spring to infest early cotton about same time as boll weevil. Although called Cotton Fleahopper, it spends about 80% of the time (several generations) on wild host plants. They prefer horse mint, croton or primrose to cotton. Looking at these plants and synthetics but haven't been too successful.
 
 

• Gerald McKibben - enhanced grandlure. Looking at some compounds which are plant essential oils which act as synergist to grandlure. Some are present in cotton plant which have not been reported before. Tested some of these this last year(season long) and saw a 50% increase in trap captures when added to grandlure. We have not put synergist in same dispenser as grandlure.

• Gus Lorenz - area-wide suppression of boll weevil in Crittendon Co. Arkansas (west of Memphis). About 20,000 acres involved and fairly isolated from cotton to the north and west. Primary purpose was to reduce weevils below economically damaging levels. History: 1995 - weevils were low from winter mortality and about 50% of acreage received pinhead square applications. By late season, numbers were high. Aphids were a problem. Growers started '96 fearful of early applications which might flare aphids, including pinhead square sprays. Some weevil hot spots did develop and were treated. Pyrethroids were used in July against worms and weevils so the populations were lower. Don Johnson and I met with growers and consultants and recommended an area-wide program which needed 100% participation. All acreage was sprayed at least once, some twice, with 12 oz. Malathion in late August - early September. This was followed by one pint/acre of Methyl parathion mixed with the defoliant spray. Growers questioned the effectiveness of applications. When comparing trap counts from counties to the north (Mississippi/Craighead), west and southwest (Lonoke), weevil catches were lower in management area. The next spring, traps were placed in high density habitat areas about 150' apart. Used trap captures to trigger field border sprays. Less than 1 weevil/trap received a border spray 100' out into the field, if 1 weevil/trap, a second application was made 150' out into the field. Greater than 1 weevil/trap received 3 treatments (a week apart), 100', 150' and 200' only as a border spray. Results: no real weevil problems in management area vs high numbers outside the area. Growers felt like it was effective and economical - saving $10-20/acre.

 3/10/99 - Business Meeting
 

• Charles Allen - we would like to thank sponsors of meal last night and Dr. Coppedge and associates for facility and arrangements. Meeting site - suggested we tag onto Southwest Branch - ESA meeting which meets in February in Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Allen Kunston could serve as local arrangements chairman.

• Bob Jones made a motion that minutes be approved, Second - James Coppedge.

• Roy Parker was elected Secretary 2000, President Elect 2001.

• Steve Becton - Griffin Corp. Atrapa is our ULV formulation of Malathion at 96.5% concentration. Registration in October '98. EPA says Atrapa fits under their substantially similar clause. There is a change in label from 12 oz. to 16 oz. for early season use. Field trial results available in early May.

• Chris Bowley - EPA's definition of substantially similar and being the same are not equal. Avoid mixing the two products. Be cautious from a liability standpoint and litigation concerns.

• Eric Villavaso - Bait sticks. Evaluated bait stick effects on weevils landing naturally. Weevils not attracted to stick but escaping from open carton. Weevils were replaced every 10 minutes.

We looked at new sticks right out of the box. Recorded times they stayed on (<1-180 seconds). Got significant mortality (near 100%). Some weevils we watched fall off dead. Aged sticks 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. The number of weevils hitting the stick, bouncing off and dying went down a lot after a week. After 2 seconds, mortality increased and continued to increase with increased exposure. After aging 14 days, weevil mortality from just hitting sticks was very low. After 6-10 seconds on stick, mortality was good. After 21 days, anything over 10 seconds had high mortality. After 28 days, mortality started dropping so we did a forced contact for 15 and 30 seconds. Got significant mortality but not at 100%. Same batch of sticks were held two more weeks under an open carport and when we ran another test (after 6 weeks total) we got no mortality. Discussion with Tom and Jim, they said there was trouble with that batch of sticks.
 

Weevil source? 7 day old weevils from wild type colony.
 

Does Malathion repel weevils and does it decrease over time? Eric - it definitely repels weevils. If a weevil stays on a stick more than a minute or two, that stick has lost its toxicity. With 6 wk. old sticks, a median time a weevil stayed on a stick was about 3 minutes.
 

• Dick Hardee - if everything was OK with the stick, how long do they last?

• Eric - 2 yrs. ago the sticks were still killing weevils at 8 wks., these were 4 wks. You need to do quality control to know what's going on. You want insecticide to outlast the pheromone.

• James Coppedge - there is a significant difference in weevils landing on sticks with and without toxicant.

• Ken Pierce - how good do you thing sticks are in an eradication program?

• Eric - in low populations, I think they can do a bang-up job. I don't think weevils responding to pheromone are diapausing weevils. If you're keeping weevils from food then I guess it would help the program.

• Tom Plato - Mississippi Technical Advisory Committee recommended and MS board approved using BWACTs in '99 on cotton which received diapause treatments in '98 but rotated out of cotton in '99. In prior years, these fields were trapped until July. A few traps plus BWACTs will be placed around these fields because BWACTs have a 3x-8x attraction compared to the trap. Southeast program has used BWACTs on a regional basis in FL, GA & AL where numbers are low and have not been able to eradicate, especially in southern areas where weevils are active year round. Southeast will use 20-30,000 tubes in '99, Mississippi will use 100-120,000 on this rotated land.

 Argentina - used BWACTs 4 years successfully to prevent weevil establishment in 2.5 million acres. Weevils migrating from Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia - similar use on 150,000 acres. Barrier programs are effective. Starting second year in Columbia. Primary emphasis in all these programs is use the BWACT at times when cotton is not in production - before squaring and at stalk destruction and afterwards. It takes weevils out of the environment before overwintering to the next crop.
 

Paraguay is the most intense program with 300,000 ac. cotton. Used 165,000 BWACTs at planting time in '97 (Oct.-Nov.) and again at end of season on 85% of acreage. In '98 the 3^rd installation was made on about 90% of acreage. Looking at 1200 traps scattered across 9 departments (counties) over 4 years, they feel like they had an 85% reduction in weevils. This is a suppression program.
 
 
 
 

National Overview of Eradication

• Bill Grefensette - MS passed referenda in delta area and will start August '99. This makes 3 zones in the delta: South delta (area 2), 1A (joins the hill area) and 1B (next to the river). Arkansas has 3 zones: Red River, South East and Central. Northeast LA passed and will start simultaneously with south AR. Red River (LA) moving along in good fashion. TX has many active zones with several in west TX voting in near future. NM - Las Cruces area started last fall. From sequence map: # 1 coded areas are essentially weevil free, # 2 are over the hump, # 3 are in good shape after starting fall of '97, # 4 includes Southwest TN, South delta MS, Oklahoma/Kansas, and NM, all started last year, # 5 areas passed referenda and are starting this year - MS North delta zones, NE LA, SE AR, # 6 areas passed but will have to wait their turn in sequence, # 7 NE AR and Missouri yet to pass referenda. Mid-south moving in orderly progression

NM/High Plains - yet to be determined.
 

Question. Is Trans-Pecos area still a dual program - Boll Weevil/Pink Bollworm ? Yes

• Juan Lopez - Is there a deal with US and Mexico to eliminate weevils south of border?

• Bill - South of NM, across from El Paso. International services have been working with traps (1:40) on 200,000 acres. May provide Malathion to spray hot spots but will be up to local grower. We'd like to see comparable program, maybe next 3-4 years.

• Gerald McKibben - how many acres have been eradicated?
• Bill - about 4 million, 30% in active programs, 4-5 million left to go.

• Phil Tugwell - do you have a position statement regarding preventing re-infestation once its eradicated from US?
• Bill- initially we talked about using traps at 1:10 - 1:20 as being very effective in picking up a single weevil. We might look at what Arizona's doing by using concentric arcs from the border. Two-three tiers, 50 miles apart (50,100,150) with a decreasing density of traps. Fair to have beltwide acreage contributing small amount to pay for the program.

• Gerald - in NC the re-infestation was suspected to be by human transport. Looks like monitoring would have to be all over the cotton belt.

• Bill - we might have to use low density trapping, 1 trap for so many square miles or trap along major roadways. Whatever would be appropriate to provide a margin of safety.

 A problem might develop in that a new generation of growers may forget about boll weevils and cut out cost of continued trapping.
 

Chart showing passed referenda and TX areas scheduled to vote or count ballots in March - April. Southern High Plains/Caprock will count votes tomorrow, NW Plains, El Paso/Trans Pecos, N. Rolling Plains, Permian Basin. Western High Plains passed 79% (800,000 ac.), MS 1A 70% (300,000 ac.), 1B 79% (300,000 ac.), NW TN 78% (400,000 ac.).
 

TX - a passing vote has to have 50% of growers and greater than 50% of total acres.
 

Tennessee will have to wait another year since North delta-MS passed. TN passed the highest assessment of any program, $211/ac. over 7 yrs. for SW zone and $174/ac. for NW zone.
 

State Reports - BWEP

• Ron Seward - TN

Assessments were estimated in Zones 2 & 3 based on historical cost, applications and weevil infestations. We took into account overwintered morality. We've always had higher weevil numbers in the southern counties and lower numbers in the north.

Trap captures for overwintered weevil emergence in spring '98 were the highest on record (that I could find). Zones 1 & 2 averaged 150/trap. Zone 3 is normally lower but has seen high numbers by late season which can potentially overwinter. Fall '98 trap captures during diapause sprays in Zone 1 show a significant reduction in numbers inside the program vs outside - about 10x difference. This data was taken from 500 traps in trap lines we run in 19 counties. Our estimated yield losses to weevil in Zones 1, 2 & 3 was 3.5%, 6% and 5% respectively. There was an immediate benefit to diapause applications.
 

• Lanny Brashear - MS

Anyone have a report from Missouri?
 

• Ron Seward - I talked with Michael Boyd the other day. They are working on a budget and I think their board wants to have a referendum February 2000.

• Doug Ladner - AR

There is a bill in state legislature for $4.7 - $5 million in support. With this money, assessments in SE zone will be $15 - 1^st year and $35 next four years (5 year program). Central zone will be $10 and $35. Hopefully, we can use the research (Drs. Tugwell & Teague) and the work of the extension service to help our program in the NE.
 

What about Beet Armyworm?

Some BAW found in SE area, aphids in NE. Extension service has good plan for managing these pests and also plant Bt cotton - especially first year. The COTMAN termination program will help and we need to look at using triggers for mid-season sprays.
 

• Lanny - will $5 million lower assessments? No, assessment will stay the same. I would like to keep the stalk destruction credit open because it will make the program money.

• Ken Pierce - LA

• Jerry Coakley - OK

Neighboring area in TX, acres were down and dry weather. We didn't see much migration but we hope this area will pass a referendum. Trash samples this winter is this SW area found zero weevils.
 

State support - $3.7 million over 4-year period. Eradication program is a state agency, going through state procedures. Bond issue was tough. There are advantages and disadvantages.

APHIS plans to run a trap line 10 miles into Kansas. Weevil numbers are very low.
 

Is Kansas acreage for real? I think so, they're building a gin. Acreage has been 15,000 - may go to 25,000ac.
 

SW Oklahoma has had higher weevil numbers in years past. Producers normally spray 4-5 times. Some fields, we put on 9 diapause applications.
 

• Danny Kiser - TX

Three active zones: Southern Rolling Plains 200,000 ac. started in '94 with trap density 1:5 (1/300' along habitat area). From '95 - '98, had 99.7% reduction in trap captures (10.8 - .04/trap/week). Central Rolling Plains started in'96. Shut down in '97. Started back in '98. Saw a reduction in weevils of 94.5% since '96 (18.3 - 1.0/trap). South (dryland) Winter Garden (more irrigated cotton) started in '96. Weevils rebounded in '97 after program shut down mid-season. Started back in '98. 91.8% reduction (19.5/trap - 1.6/trap).
 

Didn't see reduction in Uvalde area. Present trap trigger 2 weevils/40 ac. May need to be more aggressive. Dryland area and drought speeded up progress. Didn't start before Aug. 15 because of budget reason. Last year we pulled off of fields which had secondary pest problems and it hurt progress. This year we should be spraying less. You need at least 90% reduction/year to stay on schedule, 80% will take extra two years.
 

Based on trap lines, does the Valley affect south TX?

Doesn't appear to. After 70 miles there's not much movement.
 

• Charles Allen - NM

Operational Components - trap density, trap triggers, Malathion, mapping, etc.

Doug Ladner - moderator
 

• Gus Lorenz - AR (see pages 23-24 for program guidelines).

• Doug - We want to learn from mistakes. We plan to use a trap density of 1:100 ft. next to overwintering sites and 1:200 ft. in other areas. We will look at reducing this in year 3, 4, and 5 to 1:10 ac. if numbers are low.

• Gerald McKibben - I would be cautious about reducing trap numbers. Trap efficiency increases exponentially as population numbers get lower. We really don't know the full impact traps have on eradicating the weevil.

• Dick Hardee - based on the efficiency of the trap, 100' spacing at overwinter sites is over kill. You could push that to 200'. If time and money are not a problem, leave them.

• Lanny Brashear - In Mississippi the 1^st full year, trap density was about 1:2 ac. That's OK for the 1^st and 2^nd years but tighten that up starting the 3^rd year when numbers are lower.

• Ken - I think 200 ft will probably work just as well.
• Gus - a big expense we saw to the program was time to run the traps so if 200' is sufficient then we'll go with it.
• Dick - based on Bruce Mitchells' work, a boll weevil couldn't smell pheromone over 600' away. We cut that down to 300' and being cautious went to 200'.
• Tina - will extra pheromone cause weevils to concentrate on edges of the field?
• Dick - if border sprays are a strong emphasis and you're using traps to hold weevils close to hibernation sites, that's OK but I still think it's over kill.
• Roy - do you truly get weevils from all sides of the field?
• Ken - in small field situations, yes.
• Chris - In Texas, we may have only one side of a field with overwintering habitat. We haven't figured all that out yet. Why do you trap old fields? You could save money if you didn't.
• Dick - trap to capture weevils before they leave the area and go to cotton. It's precautionary.

• Bill McGovern - if you don't catch these weevils, where do they go? The traps are very effective if not competing with cotton, so why let weevils move into cotton? You're still catching overwintered weevils in July.

• Dick - I've caught 5-8X more weevils in July-August away from cotton than adjacent to. They're saying it's better to catch a weevil when it's leaving an old field. They'll go to a trap better then vs possibly missing a trap that has cotton beside it.

• Doug - it's interesting that we have 3 programs and we're handling old fields differently.

• Dick - probably all three will work because we're talking about three ecological situations. Back to Roy's question about a large field, we didn't answer it.

• Roy - if you can't physically drive around or between fields, how do you trap?

• Ken - you have to do the best you can. Put traps 100' in or whatever. You have to live with it.

 Buffer Zones
 

The non-program area up again on active zone: Some people are now calling transition zone.
 

• Bill Grenfensette - Things to avoid doing in buffer zones. You don't eradicate. Over zealous supervisors are over spraying (every 7 days), treating every field. In the past what the growers are charged vs the active zone is not right. They're getting the brunt of it, having secondary pest problems. Traditionally acreage behind the buffer has subsidized to some level the buffer budget. So if you find yourself in a buffer situation there's a willingness of acreage further back to help pay some. Operationally, make sure we're not trying to eradicate in buffer area.

• McGovern - last year in MS they put on 16-17 sprays in buffer zones so if you don't want to talk about it, you better have some deep pockets.

• Doug - you try to avoid putting yourself in that situation.

 Secondary Pests
 

How are any of you planning on dealing with these? Especially aphids and worms.
 

• Jerry Coakley - we're looking at those low number fields - stay out from July 4 -August. Avoid stirring up a problem. Current trap trigger in-season is 6 weevils / 40 acre field.

• Don - Border sprays will help. Using Furadan on Section 18. Pirate on Section 18 for Beet Armyworm, even Denium. We're concerned about the supply of Tracer if we do have a bad problem so we need these other materials.

• Chris - Texas had an average year for insects, dry, low pressure except where they put on pyrethroids early, caused some problems. It was an average Texas year for BAW.

• Ken - LA no problems.

• Roy - just because '98 was light, don't back off of concern for these insect problems. Pirate issue is serious. Cyanamid is not supporting Section 18 and the state can't submit the package. We need EPA to make a decision on Section 3 label by April 1^st for us. Pirate is a better material than Tracer on BAW.

 Contingencies for dealing with re-infestations
 

• Lanny - NC caught 2,300 weevils. Most came out of one field in Edgecomb Co. where no weevils had been captured for years. A few others nearby - "hitch hiking" weevils. First weevil caught early August. The state (NC) runs the maintenance program using 1:10 trapping from August 1 through October on every field. This has been well taken care of according to Bill Dickerson. They did catch the first weevils during the first week of trapping. No weevils in SC. Georgia has a few counties. These in Lownes Co. are the result of re-infestation two years ago. Still getting some migration out of MS. Not unusual to pick up some weevils last in fall with this trapping program.

• Chris - what's protocol when weevil is found.

 Immediately bring that field and any other within a quarter mile up to 1:1 trapping with 2x week checking. Start on intensive spraying schedule. Last few years have gone into fields with an intensive trapping on 100 ft grid and held weevils in field very well. Cost NC $150,000.

Re-infestation in SC in '95 cost $1 million plus.
 

• Bill - it's a tough call. You compare cost of 1:1 trapping in SE on 3 million acres vs 1:10 trapping and picking up these spots that cost $100,000 or so. It doesn't look good but it's cheaper.

 NC doesn't spray on catching just 1 weevil. 95% of cases there's not a second weevil caught.
 
 

Pheromone Availability
 

• Bill Grefensette - we only have one supplier and I'm hearing the capacity is limited so what are you hearing about the situation? What's a solution?

• Tom Plato - we buy about 25% of pheromone produced. In our discussion there are expansions underway and will have ample supply for this year. There may be 1-2 other suppliers looking to enter the picture. May be a little tight in places.

• Tugwell - any cheaper route/method?

• Gerald - IPM Technology company in Oregon has some CIBA technology to produce compound 1 which is the most difficult. They can make the product. I don't understand why they're as slow as they are - may be a laboratory size batch. They can be a potential supplier. I'm disappointed they don't come to the meetings and tell us when they can get geared up since they have a much improved system at lower cost.

 Precarious situation with one building in Columbus, OH. If it blows up, the programs are in trouble. Grandlure is an essential component in the program so we need to encourage more than one supplier. High tech item - not just any chemical co. can do it. Give business to more than one supplier.
 

• Bill - I may need to get projection of needs and total amount in hand.

• Juan - is there a sprayable form of pheromone called stirene?

• Gerald - Yes, but no research, limited quantities, developed by CIBA.

• Eric - IPM technologies has promised me some to test this year.

• Doug - "In Conclusion" I would like to summarize. Thanks for letting me be up here. For all the discussion in this group. I would like to see us go back with some charges. What are we going to do before we come back next year instead of looking at the same stuff again. I think what's happening in our foundation, this is what we need to do and this is the direction we need to go. My assessment of this meeting as a program manager is what you do to help eradicate boll weevil impacts me. We have had a tremendous number of presentations which let us know if there's something to support us or not support us. Either yes or no, the better off we are.

 There are several areas in which I didn't see the relationship to eradication, the correlation. Maybe not everyone here is looking at eradication. I'm concerned over the differences in using BWACTs. Yes it will work, no it will not work. Applied science means science that can be applied. I think we need to get together as a group and determine if there's a problem or just the way it's being addressed. We need an answer. Can I depend on bait sticks or not? I think we have the personnel here that can do that.
 

Areas of concern are: sensitive sites, bioassay of new material, malathion rates - if we can mix oil with it and drop rates (6-8 oz.) that's fantastic. That can save us millions of dollars. How to monitor / trap in maintenance programs (life after boll weevil). Do we use 1:10, is that OK, how do we deal with it if we find 1 or 2. We need to know. Mapping technology. How can we use it. Spray triggers - very important. I'll get off by box. It's been a very good meeting. As an operational person, it will help me.
 

• James Coppedge - one last area - some weevils that resemble boll weevils are being captured.
• About the same size with several identifying character differences. It looks a lot different under the microscope vs in your hand. A trapper might easily mistaken as boll weevil. Concerned especially in post-eradication. If you drew a line through middle of TX - it's east of line.

• Bob Jones - I'm working on a pictorial guide that should be out before summer. There's four species similar to boll weevil but do have external characteristics which separate them quickly. They do respond to pheromone trap. (Anthonomus fulvous, penensalaris, taxanus, etc.) All in Texas, Oklahoma, going into California area.

• Gerald - James, I noticed one of your top priorities is genetic finger printing with ELISA test.

• James - Yes, people in Fargo are starting to work on that.

 Dr. Coppedge was given a big round of applause for hosting this group.
 

Meeting adjourned.
 
 

Technical Advisory Committee Recommendation for Boll Weevil Eradication Program in Arkansas

Fall Diapause Guidelines 1999
 

1. Fall Diapause Insecticide Applications.

b. Full program should start August 15.

c. Mist blower applications should start August 1.
 

2. Require calibration of ULV aircraft at training session conducted by Extension specialist, Dr. Dennis Gardisser; should be complete by August 1.
 

3 Malathion applications should be terminated when the cotton is brown and growth has stopped.

a. Continue spray (aerial and mist blowers) if cotton becomes green (re-growth) and starts to fruit.

b. Continue mist blowers for 2 weeks after terminating aerial applications.
 

4. Spray intervals

a. 7 day intervals from August 15 to September 15.

• 10 day intervals September 15 to October 15 (Earlier if temperatures are cool.)
• 14 day intervals after October 15 (Earlier if temperatures are cool.)

 5. Stalk Destruction (shredding).

• August 30 (or earlier) and receive $5.00/acre credit for acreage shredded.

c. By October 1 and receive $3.00/acre credit for acreage shredded.

d. By October 15 and receive $2.00/acre credit for acreage shredded.

e. Credits apply only to cotton acreage grown the next season.

f. If cotton re-growth require fields to be treated later, credits will be adjusted according to dates additional insecticide applications are made.

g. Producers must apply for stalk destruction credits by contacting boll weevil eradication personnel, filling out appropriate application and getting certification that stalks were destroyed.
 

Spring, Summer and Fall Insecticide Application Triggers Year 2000
 

• Spring Suppression - Spring suppression sprays should be used to reduce the survival of any overwintering boll weevils. Fields should be treated when thresholds are reached.

b. Start mist blower applications at node 6, all fields have border treatments. Border treatments should be applied twice for each aerial application.
 

• Boll Weevil Insecticide Application Triggers.

• For pinhead suppression sprays, fields must reach threshold of 2 weevils/field per week to trigger the 2 overwintered weevil field wide aerial applications.
• After spring suppression sprays through July 4, apply insecticide treatments when weevil trap average reach 2 weevils/field per week. Border sprays should be applied near habitat areas 250 feed into the cotton field. If trap average per field/week is 10 or greater, the entire field should be sprayed.
• July 4 to August 7, apply insecticide treatments when trap averages reach 5 weevils/field per week. Border treatments should be applied, 250 feet into cotton field near habitat areas when from 5 to 9 weevils per field/week are found. If 10 or greater, the entire field should be sprayed.
• August 7 to Termination, apply diapause treatments when trap averages reach 2 weevils/field per week. Treat entire field.

• When active boll weevil reproduction infestations are found, entire field applications should be made at appropriate to terminate reproduction.

• Malathion ULV should be used at the 10 oz. per acre rate for all aerial applications to eradicate the boll weevil. Data from Dr. Eric Villavosa indicates that the 10 oz. rate works satisfactorily.
• Malathion should be used at the 16 oz. per acre rate for all ground applications.

 Weather Policy on Insecticide Application
 

• Rain/wind restrictions
• Rain of 0.15 inches with 8 hours of application requires the field to be re-treated.
• Applicators must complete original spray schedule before starting a re-spray schedule.
• Rotate spray schedule, do not spray the same field early or late each day.
• Air or ground insecticide spray treatments should not be applied when sustained winds are about 10 mph (Decisions at discretion of field unit supervisor).

 Trapping - Spring and Summer 2^nd year, Year 2000
 

• Spring (old fields)

• Trap hibernation areas every 100 feet.

2. Spring - through July 4 (new fields).

• Trap hibernation areas every 100 feet.
• Non-hibernation areas every 200 feet.
• Check traps every week.

 3. Summer - July 4 through August 7.

• Place traps on edge of cotton fields at a 200-ft. interval.

 4. Cutout - August 7 through termination.

• When defoliation is near, move traps back into border areas and place at 200 ft. interval.