Insect Crop Losses and Insecticide Usage for Head Lettuce in Arizona: 2006/2007

Impact assessment is central to the evolution and evaluation of our local Insect Pest Management (IPM) programs. Quantifiable metrics on insecticide use patterns, costs, targets, and frequency, crop losses due to all stressors of yield and quality, and other real world economic data (e.g., crop value) are our most objective tools for assessing change in our systems. We recently initiated a project to measure the impact of insect losses and insecticide uses in head lettuce grown in Yuma, AZ and the Bard-Winterhaven area of Imperial County, CA. The data generated in this report is useful for responding to pesticide information requests generated by EPA, and can provide a basis for regulatory processes such as Section 18 requests, as well as for evaluating the impact of our extension programs on risk reduction to growers. This information also confirms the value of PCAs to the lettuce industry by showing the importance of cost-effective management of insect pests in desert lettuce production