The boll weevil eradication program in Texas was initiated in 1994 in an effort to rid the state of the cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman.

The program was first initiated in the Southern Rolling Plains (SRP) on 220,000 acres of cotton in September of 1994 with the diapause phase, followed by a season-long phase of the program in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998.

The SRP is the first zone to advance to eradication status in the state of Texas. Boll weevil populations were almost non-existent during the 1998 cotton growing season. The seasonal mean number of boll weevils captured per trap per week in 1998 was significantly less than in 1997, 1996 and 1995. The mean in 1998 was 0.04, in 1997 it was 1.3, in 1996 it was 2.9, and in 1995 it was 10.6. This represents a reduction rate of 99.6% in 1998 as compared to 1995, 96.9% as compared to 1997, and 98.6% as compared to 1996. Insecticide applications in 1998 were reduced by 95.5% as compared to 1995.

In 1996, the program was initiated with the diapause phase in the South Texas/Winter Garden (ST/WG) and in the Rolling Plains Central (RPC) zones on approximately 350,000 and 700,000 acres respectively. In 1997, due to the suspension of field activity during the legal and the legislative process (May - June 1997), program plans in the ST/WG and RPC had to be altered. A second diapause phase was implemented in 1997 instead of the season-long phase. The first season-long phase was implemented in both zones in 1998.

In the ST/WG zone, the seasonal mean number of boll weevils per trap per week in 1998 was significantly less than in 1996. The 1998 mean was 1.4, and in1996 it was 15.3, a reduction rate of 90.9% in 1998 as compared to 1996. In the RPC zone, the seasonal mean number of boll weevils per trap per week in 1998 was significantly less than in 1996. The 1998 mean was 1.1, and in1996 it was 18.3, a reduction rate of 94.0% in 1998 as compared to 1996.

These results demonstrate that the area-wide eradication approach, utilizing pheromone traps with sound cultural, mechanical and chemical controls, represents an effective strategy in reducing boll weevil populations as planned, subsequently eliminating the most destructive cotton pest in the state. The plan is to sequentially implement the program in all of the cotton growing regions to achieve statewide eradication.