Crop scouting

Arizona cauliflower scouting represented low crop activities. Five orange harvesters and five lemon tree pruners were tested using concurrent dosimetry and urinary monitoring techniques. The re-entry intervals were 43, 2, and 1 days for the orange harvesters, lemon tree pruners, and scouts, respectively. Re-entry workers were monitored for 5- to 6-hr work days in California and for a 4-hr work day in Florida and Arizona. 

For the 2000 growing season, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the USDA surveyed adoption of individual IPM practices (USDA-NASS, 2001). A summary of results for the major field crops, fruits and nuts, and vegetables is presented in Table 32.5. The adoption of systematic scouting for pests (weeds, insects, or plant diseases) looks very promising. 

This system of integrated crop production places high demands on all aspects of crop production, including the controlled use of pesticides. Development and benefit from integrated pest management systems depend upon the combined efforts of the researcher, development and scouting persons and a highly trained farmer. 

We recommend the use of chemical fallow in the first follow year as the most effective way to limit safflower recharge of the seed bank and prevent AP in commodity crops. Diligent scouting (monitoring) of follow fields and removal of safflower volnnteers will reduce safflower volunteer snrvival and opportunity for PMGF and SMGF in the agroecosystem and will limit admixture (AP) in harvested follow commodity seed. 

Crop Protection. Cotton can be affected by insects (30), weeds, diseases (31), nematodes, and mycotoxins. About 90% of the U.S. cotton uses Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. This approach optimizes the total pest management system by utilizing all available tools, including rotation, crop residue destruction, maximum crop competitiveness, earliness, pest scouting, action thresholds, releases of beneficial insects, sterile insect releases, and selective crop protection chemistry. 

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