Short Wave A Pesky Rumble: Pink Bollworms Vs. Cotton Farmers
Jan 25, 2021
Dan Charles, an NPR food and farming reporter with a focus on invasive species, delves into the battle against the pink bollworm pest that has long threatened cotton farmers. He discusses the remarkable success of the eradication campaigns in the U.S. and Mexico, highlighting innovative strategies like genetic engineering and sterile insect releases. Through farmer stories, he illustrates the tough choices between chemical use and crop loss. Charles emphasizes the collaboration between science and agriculture that made this achievement possible, showcasing the ongoing vigilance against pest resurgence.
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Carl Button's Bollworm Struggle
- Arizona cotton farmer Carl Button had to spray pesticides for weeks to combat pink bollworms.
- The worms' various life stages, protected inside cotton bolls or in the soil, made them difficult to target.
The Pesticide Air Raids
- Pest control advisor Tom Montoya recalls farmers spraying pesticides up to 14 times a season, often using airplanes at night.
- This costly and inefficient method highlighted the desperation of farmers facing pink bollworm infestations.
BT Cotton: A Double-Edged Sword
- BT cotton, genetically modified to be toxic to certain insects, offered initial relief to cotton farmers.
- However, overuse of BT crops in some regions led to insect resistance, posing a risk for the pink bollworm.