Fields should still be monitored weekly because the current commercial varieties have has a lower expression of the Bt toxin in the flower pollen. Larvae that feed on flowers are less likely to die and can damage the bolls from beneath the bloom tags. Non-Bt cotton should be planted in close proximity to the Bt fields to maintain susceptible moth populations. With the 5 percent refuge option, do not control cotton bollworms with any product specially targeted at this insect. With the 20 percent acreage refuge option, do not apply foliar Bt sprays.
Early planting helps the crop mature sooner and avoid late-season corn earworm infestations.
Plant open-headed varieties that increase corn earworm larval exposure to the weather, natural enemies and insecticides. Maximize and maintain healthy beneficial arthropod populations. Manage the crop so that a full canopy quickly develops, and this will help to discourage the moth's egg-laying activities. Maximize the use of beneficial arthropod populations. When insecticide use becomes necessary, target the midsize larvae.