Progress 10/01/07 to 10/01/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Field and laboratory trials were conducted for the second year to evaluate the impact of insect pests on glandless cotton, and to investigate management tactics that could help protect glandless cotton from insect pests. In 2012, field trials were conducted on a New Mexico State University farm in order to evaluate the influence of nitrogen on cotton bollworm and beet armyworm in field and lab trials using glandless Acala GLS and glanded Acala 1517-08. Areawide pink bollworm trapping was conducted by New Mexico State University and Texas AgriLife Extension Service with funding from USDA-APHIS outside of a pink bollworm eradication zone in 2010 and 2011. We believe that the small, isolated pink bollworm population has been eradicated. Chagas disease causes over 21,000 deaths annually, with 300,000 people infected. Chagas disease, endemic to Central and South America disease, is caused by the protozoan T. cruzi and is vectored by Triatomine bugs. Some transmission to humans has been documented in the southern US. Infection rates of 4-29% were found in 2 of 4 species of Triatomines collected in New Mexico in the 1950s. Rates in Arizona and Texas were also low. Recently, infection rates in Triatomines in Texas and Arizona were found to be 42-51%. In 2012, 38% of Triatomines collected in Arizona and California were determined to have fed on humans making the possibility of transmission in this region a concern. Our objective is to determine the infection rate of T cruzi in Triatomines in southern New Mexico. Over 100 Triatomines were collected in southeastern New Mexico. All were identified as Triatoma rubida by PCR amplification and subsequent sequencing. The infection rate is still being determined with numerous primers but data collected to date has suggested the infection rate will be between 40-60% similar to infection rates in California and Arizona. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The lack of yield differences is related to the ability of cotton to compensate for late season damage to foliage and squares which is when we primarily see damage, even in glandless cotton. The primary impact will be financial. This will require us to be successful at developing pest management techniques to allow growers to produce glandless cotton without excessive pesticides. Growers will produce seed about 30% of their total crop with a value that will be approximately 14 times the current very low value. Our primary impact will be to illuminate the potential risk of Chagas disease in New Mexico, particularly in rural populations. Our data to date suggests that there is a real risk that Chagas disease is transmitted in southern New Mexico by Triatomine bugs. Data generated will help growers make decisions about crop placement that will help avoid insecticide treatments in other crops. This data illustrates the importance of hay placement in providing beneficial arthropods for cotton.

Publications

• Idowu, O. J., Carrillo, T., Zhang, J., Flynn, R. P., Pierce, J. B. (2012). Cotton Newsletter Volume 3, Number 1. Pink Bollworm Eradication in New Mexico.
• Pierce, J. B. (2012). New You Can Use: Miller Moth Population Explodes. New Mexico State University. http://eps.nmsu.edu/2012-news-you-can-use.html#anchor_103699.
• Pierce, J. B. (2012). New You Can Use: Pink Bollworm Nearly Eradicated in New Mexico?. New Mexico State University. http://eps.nmsu.edu/2012-news-you-can-use.html#anchor_103699.
• Idowu, O. J., Carrillo, T., Zhang, J., Flynn, R. P., Pierce, J. B. (2012). Cotton Newsletter Volume 3 Number 2 (2nd ed., vol. 3).
• Idowu, O. J., Carrillo, T., Zhang, J., Flynn, R. P., Pierce, J. B. (2012). Cotton Newsletter Volume 3 Number 1 (1st ed., vol. 3).

Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Three parasitoids were successfully established in New Mexico. Oomyzus incertus is responsible for approximately 40% of the control of alfalfa weevil in the Mesilla Valley. O. incertus and Bathyplectes spp. together often produce 70-80% control. In the Pecos Valley, O. incertus has been rare, and control of alfalfa weevil highly variable. The success of O. incertus in the Mesilla Valley suggests that it could be successful elsewhere. O. incertus field nurseries were established in five counties at NMSU and commercial farms. We have detected O. incertus over 15 miles from a field insectary in south Eddy County indicating that it is becoming established. Several field trials over 5 years were conducted to determine how much impact alfalfa has on predation in pecan and cotton. Predation rates are generally high, but can be affected by distance from hay and by direction impacted by prevailing winds. Degree of predation is closely correlated with predator numbers and time of year. Cutting hay results in lower predation in nearby cotton. Data collected this year indicated that crimping did not result in lower predation rates. Data from all these trials suggest that cotton relies on relatively constant immigration of predators from hay, emphasizing the importance of hay in pest management for all SE NM crops. Field trials conducted for 3 years evaluated the impact of tree size on predation of sentinel lepidopteran eggs in pecan. Trials in 3 locations over 80 miles and multiple time points from May to October indicated differences in predation levels by chewing vs sucking predators in small vs well established trees. Similar differences were found in orchard borders vs interiors. Direct observation and collection of predators of sentinel eggs indicated that a spider, Hibana incurs, is the most prevalent predator in pecan in the lower Pecos Valley. High temperatures and low relative humidity in the crop canopy produces extremely high mortality in some insects, e.g., boll weevil. Row spacing, row orientation, N rates, plant population irrigation timing and plant architecture can affect crop microclimate and insect mortality. Some management decisions that dramatically reduced boll weevil survival have less effect on insects that remain in the canopy. Changes in row orientation and row spacing, for example, do not have enough impact on lepidopteran pests to justify prioritizing it in pest management recommendations. Tree size also can affect egg hatch by affecting predation and the canopy microclimate. Bollworm is rarely an economic pest in New Mexico. Bolls produced late season, most commonly lost as squares, have low value, primarily due to low natural retention, producing few bolls /acre on the later nodes. Cotton can compensate by retaining squares or bolls that the plant otherwise would have shed. Less frequently, cotton can compensate by increasing lint per lock in bolls. Lower seed germination and lower lint quality in late season bolls further reduces their value. Late season boll losses on the other hand, are more of a concern, directly impacting yield. Compensation rates for early season square losses from pests like lygus are also high. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Hay: One application on 50% of Pecos Valley acres and a 75% reduction of applications (less than other states), would save over $600,000 in the Pecos Valley alone. Similar results in other counties would result in saving over $1 Million per year. Additional cost savings will accrue from a reduction in secondary pests due to the early season insecticide applications and the impact on beneficial arthropod populations. Cotton: Our data suggests that insecticide applications for square injury by bollworm could be almost eliminated in southern New Mexico in non-Bt cotton and certainly eliminated for late season damage in Bt cotton. Realistically, many applications are made for insurance against risk, or fear of loss. A 50% reduction of insecticide applications on non transgenic cotton is achievable. Reducing inputs will help in retention of cotton as a rotation crop in the Pecos Valley, and would be the most important impact. Data generated that illustrates the importance of hay in providing beneficial arthropods for cotton will help growers make decisions about crop placement that will help avoid insecticide treatments. These issues also have bearing on the potential for growing glandless cotton which recent data suggests is more susceptible to some insect pests. Trapping for pink bollworm indicated that pink bollworm is at least at very low levels in Southeastern New Mexico since no pink bollworms were captured the last two years. The trapping program done in conjunction with Texas A & M University and USDA/Aphis determined that pink bollworms were likely dispersing into eradication zones from a limited area of infested fields near Midland TX. The cost of pink bollworm control and losses was $32 Million per year prior to eradication. Pecan: Our primary impact on pecan will be to avoid losses in yield from insect pests, particularly as the landscape changes to an environment favoring more insect pest outbreaks with less alfalfa and more large orchards. Our strategy is to determine how to use smaller fields of alfalfa strategically placed or management practices to maintain populations of beneficial arthropods in pecan. Alternate cutting of hay, maintaining small acreage of hay within certain distances of pecan, or use of ground cover in pecan are recommendations in progress. Some growers have indicated that as they expand pecan acreage, they will based on our data keep some hay, for the purpose of maintaining beneficial insect populations. Research in 2011 indicated historically low populations of predators in eastern New Mexico. Growers were warned that outbreaks were likely. Aphids in particular were found in extremely high populations with some growers making up to five applications for aphids in eastern NM an area where 0-1 insecticide applications are typical.

Publications

• Multer, W., Doederlien, T., Anderson, M., Kerns, D., Allen, C., Pierce, J. Zink, R., Walters, M., Westbrook, J. 2011. Pink Bollworm Trapping in the Southern Plains of Texas and New Mexico. http://gaines.agrilife.org/files/2011/09/Pink-Bollworm-Trapping-Proje ct-2010_1.pdf
• Pierce, J. B. 2011. Beet Armyworm in New Mexcio Hay (ed.). Las Cruces, NM: New Mexico State University.
• Pierce, J. B. 2011. Conchuela Stinkbug in New Mexico Cotton (ed.). Las Cruces, NM: New Mexico State University.
• Pierce, J. B., Houghton, W. E., Barraza, S. K. 2011. Variagated Cutworm in New Mexico Hay (ed.). Las Cruces, NM: New Mexico State University.

Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Three parasitoids were successfully established in New Mexico. Two species are responsible for virtually all of the biological control of alfalfa weevil in southern New Mexico. Oomyzus incertus is responsible for approximately 40% of the control of alfalfa weevil in the Mesilla Valley. O. incertus and Bathyplectes spp. together often produce 70-80% control. In the Pecos Valley, O. incertus has been rare, and control of alfalfa weevil highly variable. The success of O. incertus in the Mesilla Valley suggested that it could be successful elsewhere. Similar control would save growers in the Pecos Valley over $600,000 per year. In NM over $1 Million per year would be saved. Additional savings would be found in increased yields and reduced insecticide applications for secondary pests. O. incertus field nurseries were established in five counties at NMSU and commercial farms. We have detected O. incertus up to 10 miles from a field insectary in south Eddy County indicating that it is becoming successfully established. A number of field trials over four years were conducted on experiment station and commercial farms to determine how much impact alfalfa has on predation in pecan and cotton. Predation rates are generally high, but can be affected by distance from hay and by direction impacted by prevailing winds. Degree of predation is closely correlated with predator numbers and time of year. Cutting hay results in lower predation in nearby cotton. Data from these trials suggest that cotton relies on relatively constant immigration of predators from hay, emphasizing the importance of hay in pest management for all SE NM crops. Field trials conducted for 3 years evaluated the impact of tree size on predation of sentinel lepidopteran eggs in pecan. These trials in 3 locations over 80 miles and multiple time points from May to October indicated differences in the levels of predation by chewing vs sucking predators in small vs well established trees. Similar differences were found in borders vs interiors of orchards. Direct observation and collection of predators of sentinel eggs indicated that a spider, Hibana incursa is the most prevalent predator in pecan in the lower Pecos Valley. Yield partitioning and compensation testing in cotton indicate bollworm is rarely an economic pest in New Mexico. Bolls produced late season, most commonly lost as squares, have low value, primarily due to low natural retention, producing few bolls /acre on the later nodes. Cotton has the ability compensate by retaining squares or bolls that the plant otherwise would have shed. Less frequently, cotton can compensate by increasing lint per lock in bolls. Lower seed germination and lower lint quality in late season bolls further reduces their value. Late season boll losses on the other hand, are more of a concern, directly impacting yield. Compensation rates for early season square losses from pests like lygus are also high. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Hay: One application on 50% of Pecos Valley acres and a 75% reduction of applications (less than other states), would save over $600,000 in the Pecos Valley alone. Similar results in other counties would result in saving over $1 Million per year. Additional cost savings would accrue from a reduction in secondary pests due to the early season application and its impact on beneficial arthropod populations. Cotton: Our data suggests that insecticide applications for square injury by bollworm could be almost eliminated in southern New Mexico in non-Bt cotton. Realistically, many applications are made for insurance against risk, or fear of loss. A 50% reduction of insecticide applications on non transgenic cotton is achievable. Reducing inputs will help in retention of cotton as a rotation crop in the Pecos Valley, and would be the most important impact. Data generated that illustrates the importance of hay in providing beneficial arthropods for cotton will help growers make decisions about crop placement that will help avoid insecticide treatments. Pecan: Our primary impact on pecan will be to avoid losses in yield from insect pests, particularly as the landscape changes to an environment favoring more insect pest outbreaks. Our strategy is to determine how to use smaller fields of alfalfa strategically placed or management practices to maintain populations of beneficial arthropods in pecan. Alternate cutting of hay, maintaining small acreage of hay within certain distances of pecan, or use of ground cover in pecan are recommendations in progress. Some growers have indicated that as they expand pecan acreage, they will keep some hay, for the purpose of maintaining beneficial insect populations, and they are increasingly interested in the use of ground covers in their orchards, particularly as the price of nitrogen and herbicides has increased.

Publications

• Pierce, J and P. Monk. 2010. Environmental stress impacts on egg hatch and larval survival of cotton bollworm. Crop Management: 10 1094/CM-2010-1221-01-RS
• Pierce, J. and P. Monk. 2010. Impact of alfalfa on biological control of insect pests in New Mexico. 64st Proceedings Beltwide Cotton Conferences, New Orleans, LA.
• Pierce, J and P Monk 2010. Impact of Crop Production Practices on Pest Populations in New Mexico In Annual Reports. Cotton Inc, Raleigh, NC

Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09

Outputs
OUTPUTS: We have determined that crop microclimate can have a dramatic effect on survival of insect pests in cotton and pecan in southern New Mexico. High temperatures and low relative humidity in the crop canopy produces extremely high mortality in some insects eg. boll weevil, and similar, albeit less dramatic, effects on other insects. Row spacing, row orientation, N rates, plant population irrigation timing and plant architecture can affect crop microclimate and insect mortality. However some management decisions that dramatically reduced boll weevil survival have less effect on Lediopterous pests. Changes in row orientation and row spacing for example do not have enough impact on leopidopterous pests to justify prioritizing it in pest management recommendations. Yield partitioning and compensation testing in cotton indicate that bollworm is rarely an economic pest in New Mexico. Late season bolls, which are those typically injured, have low value, primarily due to low natural retention, producing few bolls /acre on the later nodes. We have also found lower seed germination and lower lint quality in the late season bolls further reducing their value beyond the lower lint yields. Compensation field trails indicate that cotton can compensate for very high losses of squares late season by retaining bolls that could otherwise have been shed, and to a lesser extent, by increasing boll size of those retained. A number of trials over multiple years have compared Bt and recurrent parent varieties. Only rarely have the Bt varieties produced higher yields despite no protective insecticide applications. Use of this data will result in fewer insecticide applications because it indicates that many insecticide applications for bollworm and the use of Bt cotton for control of cotton bollworm is largely not economically justified in southern New Mexico Field trials were conducted on experiment station and commercial farms to determine how much impact alfalfa has on predation in pecan and cotton. Predation rates were extremely high in season often in the 80-95% range. Predation was affected by distance from hay and by direction impacted by prevailing winds. Degree of predation was closely correlated with predator numbers, despite differences in which species was most abundant through the season. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Hay: Assuming conservatively just 1 application on 50% on the Pecos Valley acres and that we could reduce applications by only 75% (less than other states have accomplished), we could save over $600,000 in the Pecos Valley alone. Similar results in other counties in NM would easily put savings over 1 Million per year. This also does not take into account additional cost savings from a reduction in secondary pests that had population increases due to the early season application and its impact on beneficial arthropod populations. Cotton: Our data suggests that insecticide applications for square injury by bollworm could be almost eliminated in southern New Mexico in non-Bt cotton. Realistically, many applications are made for insurance against risk, fear of loss. A 50% reduction of insecticide applications on non transgenic cotton is achievable. Reducing inputs will help in retention of cotton as a rotation crop in the Pecos Valley, and would be the most important impact. Pecan: Our primary impact on pecan will be to avoid losses in yield from insect pests particularly as the landscape changes to a more monoculture environment favoring more insect pest outbreaks. Our strategy is to determine how to use smaller acreage of alfalfa to maintain populations of beneficial arthropods in pecan. Management strategies for example could include alternate cutting of hay or maintaining small acreage of hay within certain distances of pecans or use of ground cover in pecans.

Publications

• Pierce, J. and P. Yates. 2009. Influence of alfalfa hay on predation in New Mexico cotton. 2009 63st Proceedings Beltwide Cotton Conferences, San Antonio. Texas.

Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08

Outputs
OUTPUTS: USDA /Aphis released a number of parasitoids of alfalfa weevil in the 1980s, but their success in controlling alfalfa weevil since then was unknown. We have determined that three species are established in New Mexico, two of which are responsible for nearly all the biological control of alfalfa weevil in southern New Mexico. We have determined that Oomyzus incertus is responsible for approximately 40% of the control of alfalfa weevil in the Mesilla Valley. O. incertus and Bathyplectes spp. together often produce 70-80% control. In the Pecos Valley O. incertus is very rare and control of alfalfa weevil is highly variable. The success of O. incertus in the Mesilla Valley suggests that it could be successful in the Pecos Valley as well. Having a similar level of control in the Pecos Valley would save growers in the Pecos Valley over $600,000 per year. If similar savings are extended to the rest of New Mexico savings would be over $1 Million per year in reduced insecticide application costs alone. Additional savings would be found in increased yields and reduced insecticide applications for pests that resurge due to reduced populations of beneficial arthropods. We have established an Oomyzus field nursery in Artesia and in Los Lunas at NMSU farms. We have detected Oomyzus several miles from the Artesia farm in an area where it was not previously found indicating that it is becoming successfully established. We have determined that crop microclimate can have a dramatic effect on survival of insect pests in cotton and pecan in southern New Mexico. High temperatures and low relative humidity in the crop canopy produces extremely high mortality in some insects (boll weevil) and similar effects on other insects. Row spacing, row orientation, N rates, plant population irrigation timing and plant architecture can affect crop microclimate and insect mortality. Ssome management decisions that dramatically reduced boll weevil survival have less effect on Ledipopterous pests. Changes in row orientation and row spacing for example do not have enough impact on leopidopterous pests to justify use in pest management recommendations. Yield partitioning and compensation testing in cotton indicate that bollworm is rarely an economic pest in New Mexico. Late season bolls, which are those typically injured, have low value, primarily due to low natural retention, producing few bolls /acre on the later nodes. Compensation testing indicates that cotton can compensate for very high losses of squares late season by retaining bolls that could otherwise have been shed, and to a lesser extent, by increasing boll size of those retained. Use of this data will result in fewer insecticide applications because it indicates that many insecticide applications for bollworm and the use of Bt cotton for control of bollworm is largely not justified in southern New Mexico Field trials were conducted on experiment station and commercial farms to determine how much impact alfalfa has on predation in pecan and cotton. Predation rates were extremely high in season often in the 80-95% range. Predtion was affected by distance from hay but not by direction. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Hay: Assuming conservatively just 1 application on 50% on the Pecos Valley acres and that we could reduce applications by only 75% (less than other states have accomplished), we would save over $600,000 in the Pecos Valley alone. Similar results in other counties in NM would easily put savings over 1 Million per year. This also does not take into account additional cost savings from a reduction in secondary pests that had population increases due to the early season application and its impact on beneficial arthropod populations. Cotton: Our data suggests that insecticide applications for square injury by bollworm could be almost eliminated in southern New Mexico in non-Bt cotton. Realistically many applications are made for insurance against risk, fear of loss. A 50% reduction of insecticide applications on non transgenic cotton is achievable. Reducing inputs will help in retention of cotton as a rotation crop in the Pecos Valley, and would be the most important impact. Pecan: Our primary impact on pecan will be to avoid losses in yield from insect pests particularly as the landscape changes to a more monoculture environment favoring more insect pest outbreaks. Our strategy is to determine how to use smaller acreage of alfalfa to maintain populations of beneficial arthropods in pecan.

Publications

• Carrillo, T, J. Drake, J. Ellington, J. Pierce. 2008. Abundance of Predaceous Arthropods and Lygus spp (Hemiptera: Miridae) in response to different nitrogen fertilizer rates in Acala 1517-99 cotton. Crop Management. December/plantmanagementnetwork.org
• Pierce, J. and P Monk. 2008. Yield compensation for simulated bollworm injury in New Mexcio. Lubbock World Cotton Research Conference-4. Refereed Proceedings: Omnipress, Madison , WI p1826
• Pierce, J. and P. Monk. 2008. Influence of mangement on corp microclimate and control of cotton bollworm Helicoverpa zea Boddie. Lubbock World Cotton Research Conference-4. Refereed Proceedings: Omnipress Madison, WI p 2072
• Pierce, J. and P. Yates. 2008. Lint quality and yield compensation for simulated bollworm, Helicoverpa zea Boddie injury in New Mexico. 2008 62st Proceedings Beltwide Cotton Conferences, Nashville, Tennessee

Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07

Outputs
USDA /Aphis released a number of parasitoids of alfalfa weevil in the 1980s, but their success in controlling alfalfa weevil since then was unknown. We have determined that three species are established in New Mexico. Two species are responsible for virtually all of the biological control of alfalfa weevil in southern New Mexico. We have determined that Oomyzus incertus is responsible for approximately half of the control of alfalfa weevil in the Mesilla Valley. O. incertus and Bathyplectes spp. togeather often produce 70-80% control . In the Pecos Valley, on the other hand, O. incertus is very rare and control of alfalfa weevil is highly variable. The success of O. incertus in the Mesilla Valley suggests that it could be successful in the Pecos Valley as well. Having a similar level of control in the Pecos Valley would save growers in the Pecos Valley over $600,000 per year. We have determined that crop microclimate can have a dramatic effect on survival of insect pests in cotton and pecan in southern New Mexico. High temperatures and low relative humidity in the crop canopy produces extremely high mortality in some insects eg. boll weevil, and similar, albeit less dramatic, effects on other insects. Row spacing, row orientation, N rates, plant population irrigation timing and plant architecture can affect crop microclimate and insect mortality. However some management decisions that dramatically reduced boll weevil survival have less effect on Ledipopterous pests. Changes in row orientation and row spacing for example do not have enough impact on leopidopterous pests to justify use in pest management recommendations. Yield partitioning and compensation testing in cotton indicate that bollworm is rarely an economic pest in New Mexico. Late season bolls, which are those typically injured, have low value, primarily due to low natural retention, producing few bolls /acre on the later nodes. Also, compensation testing indicates that cotton can compensate for very high losses of squares late season by retaining bolls that could otherwise have been shed, and to a lesser extent, by increasing boll size of those retained. Compensation data is also being used in conjunction additional data from Drs. Bundy and Ellington to develop an economic injury level for Lygus in New Mexico. Field trials were conducted on commercial farms to determine how much impact alfalfa has on predation in pecan and cotton. The data in cotton suggests that our initial theory based on data from other states may not be appropriate for New Mexico. Data collected the last two years suggests that cotton in the Pecos Valley at least, depends on relatively constant immigration of predators from hay rather than periodic sudden influxes at cutting. If this holds true then hay is critically important for pest control in cotton and pecan in the Pecos Valley.

Impacts
Hay: Assuming conservatively just 1 application on 50% on the Pecos Valley acres and that we could reduce applications by only 75% (less than other states have accomplished), we would save over $600,000 in the Pecos Valley alone. Similar results in other counties in NM would easily put savings over 1 Million per year. This also does not take into account additional cost savings from a reduction in secondary pests that had population increases due to the early season application and its impact on beneficial arthropod populations. Cotton: Our data suggests that insecticide applications for square injury by bollworm could be almost eliminated in southern New Mexico. However realistically many applications are made for insurance against risk, fear of loss and under pressure from sales representatives. A 50% reduction of insecticide applications on non transgenic cotton is ambitious but achievable. Reducing inputs will help in retention of cotton as a rotation crop in the Pecos Valley, and would be the most important impact. Pecan: Our primary impact on pecan will be to avoid losses in yield from insect pests particularly as the landscape changes to a more monoculture environment favoring more insect pest outbreaks. Our strategy is to determine how to use smaller acreage of alfalfa to maintain populations of beneficial arthropods in pecan.

Publications

• Ellington, J., T. Carillo, J. McCauley, J. Lillywhite, J. Pierce. 2007. Precision Cotton Production. New Mexico State University. Circular 629.