Economics of pest control alternatives for Imperial Valley cotton

S i n c e the mid-1960s, the pink bollworm and outbreaks of associated secondary pests have been responsible for annual costs averaging more than onefourth of the annual value of cotton grown in the Imperial Valley. Insecticide and application plus a variety of other costs attributable to pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), average approximately $300 per acre per year for a total cost to Imperial Valley farmers exceeding $250 million during 1966-80.