ABSTRACT

Bollgard II (line 15985) was compared to Bollgard (DP-50B), and to conventional (DP-50) cotton in six replicated small plot tests maintained under typical NC cotton production practices from 2000 through 2002. Under these conditions (no irrigation, no bollworm moth flight/beneficial insect disruption, and avoidance planting dates after May 20), no live budworms, bollworms, or European corn borers were found, and only a single bollworm-damaged boll was scored on Bollgard II throughout the test period. In the 2002 test at the Edgecombe County location, Bollgard II cotton also held beet armyworm feeding to almost non-detectable levels, with Bollgard cotton showing approximately half the damage as the conventional cotton plots. Under typical producer conditions, it would appear that Bollgard II cotton lines will seldom require insecticide treatment for caterpillar control in North Carolina. However, in the absence of insecticides used for caterpillar control (vs. the current 0.88 applications/year [Bacheler and Mott, 2003]), stink bug and plant bug levels can be expected to increase somewhat.