COTTON PRODUCTION AND THE BOLL WEEVIL IN GEORGIA-HISTORY, COST OF CONTROL AND BENEFITS OF ERADICATION

Authors: Haney, Philip; Lewis, Wallace

Submitted to: University of Georgia Research Report
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/2/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The success of the Southeast Boll Weevil Eradication Program has played a major role in the recent revival of Georgia's cotton industry. The boll weevil first appeared in Thomasville in 1915, and cotton production soon began declining rapidly, from a high of 2.8 million bales in 1914 to 600,000 bales in 1923. Although aerial applications of calcium arsenate dust in the early 1920's increased yields somewhat, the industry never really recovered from the boll weevil invasion, and production continued declining steadily for 60 years. In 1983, Georgia produced only 112,000 bales on 115,000 harvested acres. The active treatment and trapping phase of the Eradication Program began in 1987 and was completed in 1990. Since then, cotton production has increased dramatically each year. Average yield has increased from 482 pounds per acre in the pre- eradication period to 733 pounds per acre in the post-eradication period. Cotton production also increased from an average of 228,000 to 770,000 acres, and average gross crop revenues increased from $70 million to $400 million per year. Net crop revenues increased from $187 to $451 per acre. In 1995 2.0 million bales were produced on 1.5 million harvested acres (59% more than in 1994 and the largest yield since 1919), with total revenues of ca. $720 million (the highest in Georgia's history).

Technical Abstract: The active treatment phase of the boll weevil Eradication Program began in 1987 and was completed in 1990. Average yield increased from 482 pounds per acre in the pre-eradication period to 733 pounds per acre in the post-eradication period. Cotton production has increased from an average of 228,000 to 770,000 acres, and gross crop revenues increased from $70 million to $400 million per year. Net crop revenues also increased from $187 to $451 per acre. In 1995, 2.0 million bales were produced on 1.5 million harvested acres (59% more than in 1994 and the largest yield since 1919), with total revenues of ca. $720 million (the highest in Georgia's history). Insecticide treatments have decreased from 14.4 per acre in the pre-eradication period to 5.4 per acre in the post- eradication period. A severe outbreak of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), occurred between 1987 and 1989 following repeated aerial applications of Malathion. Activities of the armyworm's primary natural enemy, Cotesia marginiventris, resumed immediately after the treatment phase was completed. The dual successes of the Boll Weevil Eradication Program and subsequent resumption of beet armyworm control by Cotesia laid a foundation for efforts to develop an economically and environ- mentally sustainable pest management program for Georgia cotton.