In cotton production, there are many factors that can reduce crop yield. One important cause is insects. Insects that cause loss to the fruit are frequently more destructive than those that damage leaves, stems and roots. Cotton in Egypt is subjected to yield and quality losses by arthropod insects. The Cotton leaf worm (CLW), Spodoptera littoralis and the Cotton bollworms, pink bollworm (PBW), Pectinophora gossypiella and spiny bollworm (SBW), Earias insulana cause the greatest part of yield losses resulted from nearly one million feddans cultivated annually.

This study describes an improvement in insect control practices directed against feeding insects (i.e., CLW, PBW and SBW) by integration of monitoring, biological control, cultural, behavioral, genetic and bio-insecticides that can serve as a base for the formulation of biologically- based new approach of integrated management of cotton key pests. Field studies were conducted during 1999 and 2000 at Minia Governorate, middle Egypt. Experimental area was about 150 feddans of cotton (Giza, 80) during 1999 and 2000 cotton seasons. Five programs were evaluated: 1-Prediction models based on the Pheromone trap catches. 2-Bio insecticides such Agreen (contains Bacillus thuringiensis agypti) and Spinosad. 3- Insect Growth Regulators (Consult: Anti molting compound produced by Dow Agroscience; Cascade: Anti molting compound produced by American Cyanamid; Mimic Molting accelerating compound produced by Rhorm and Haas.). 4- Plant growth regulators and Defoliants (Pex: Cotton leaf defoliant and Cytokin: Growth promoting and fruiting hormone compound produced by Rhorm and Haas). 5- Augmentation of Trichogramma sp. various combinations of the tested components were formulated and applied in commercial cotton fields in two successive seasons. Percent of infestations, cotton yield and population density of both natural enemies and sucking pests were used as criteria for evaluation of various programs.