The development of accurate real world
data on crop pest losses and pesticide usage is important to the agricultural industry. Quantifiable measurements of pesticide use patterns, costs, target pests, and yield/quality losses due to key pests are our most objective tools for assessing change in our agricultural systems.
The Crop Pest Losses and Impact Assessment Program, funded as a Western IPM Center Signature Program, with leveraged support from USDA-NIFA and the Arizona Pest Management Center addresses this need.
Data are collected through a series of interactive clientele workshops. Participants include Pest Control Advisors (PCAs), growers, industry representatives and Extension professionals. We work hard to enlist the participation of representative PCAs from throughout the appropriate growing regions, and follow-up with mail surveys to those who cannot attend, to develop the most complete and accurate dataset possible. Currently, the group develops data on cotton http://ag.arizona.edu/crops/cotton/insects/cil/cil.html and head lettuce in Arizona and in adjacent low desert regions of California. We previously implemented a survey on Arizona cantaloupe and watermelon pest losses.