II.  Justification:

Insects and related arthropod pests collectively constitute a major impediment for cost-effective cotton production throughout the U. S. and the world.  In the United States, the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has historically shaped the pattern and success of cotton production.  Where this pest has been economically managed, production has been possible; where it hasn't, cotton production has yielded to other crops.  A successful weevil eradication program has essentially eliminated boll weevil from the Far West and from Virginia to Florida and westward into most of Alabama.  In these states, cotton production has increased dramatically following eradication.  However, the weevil still exists from Mississippi and west Tennessee through Texas and New Mexico, and will continue to limit production as well as pose the threat of reinvasion into 'clean' states until it is eliminated from this zone.  The eradication process has been achieved through cooperative efforts of USDA-APHIS, USDA-ARS, the State Agricultural Experiment Stations, the State Cooperative Extension Services, State Department of Agriculture and other public and private agencies.  Many issues on procedures, technology, education and logistics still need to be considered as the program expands into currently infested areas and states.  This IEG provides a critical forum for research, extension and regulatory personnel to meet and exchange ideas on how to best work toward the final goal of eliminating the weevil in the U. S. and beyond into Mexico.  Attendance over the past four years at the annual meeting has numbered 50-60/year and discussions have been informative and spirited.

III.  Objectives:

1.  To provide a forum for discussing successes and failures in the boll weevil eradication program as it expands over the weevil's range in the U. S.

2.  To provide a forum for discussing and planning research and extension activities critical to successfully implementing and achieving eradication of the boll weevil in the remaining infested states.

3.  To provide a forum for discussing other arthropod pest problems on cotton that must be managed to insure economically successful production of the crop.

IV.  Procedural Plan:

An annual meeting will be held that will bring together State AES, CES, Department of Agriculture, and commodity representatives, as well as USDA-APHIS, USDA-ARS, industry and other interested personnel.  An agenda will be developed to insure that key topics relating to successes in the past year's weevil research, extension and regulatory successes and failure are made known and openly discussed, that plans of all participants for the coming year are outlined, and that recommendations, suggestions, and modifications can be made based on the group's collective experiences.

It is anticipated that the eradication program will continue for more than five years but be well in place within ten years, at least in the United States.  This SERA-IEG will need to concentrate on the weevil eradication objectives during that time frame.

V.  Kinds of Participation in the Activity:

The participants in this activity will be largely entomologists from the southern and western regions.  They will include state AES and CES scientists, State Department of Agriculture personnel, cotton commodity group representatives (National Cotton Council, Cotton Incorporated, individual state cooperatives), USDA-APHIS and ARS scientists and administrators, and limited ag product company representatives.

The project will require at least five years, but participation by those interested in Objectives 1 and 2 will fall slightly over this period as individual states achieve eradication goals.

The objectives would allow for new or unforeseen arthropod pest issues to be considered as the weevil diminishes in importance.  It is clear from experiences in the states with successful eradication programs in place that applications made for weevil were holding secondary pests in check as well.  In the absence of these sprays, such insects are causing some problems in certain areas, and their management is having to be addressed.  This SERA-IEG has and will continue to provide a forum for these issues under Objective 3.