For optimal management, it is essential to investigate and evaluate key insect pests in cotton. In Alabama, the tarnished plant bug (Lygus lineolaris) and southern green stink bug (Nezara viridula) are major economically important insect pests in cotton production throughout the growing season. The objective of this study was to measure LC50s for common insecticides used in tarnished plant bug management to monitor resistance of field populations in six regions of Alabama (NE, NW, CE, CW, SE, and SW). Lab bioassays were performed using technical grade insecticides on adult tarnished plant bugs, and those LC50s were compared to that of a lab colony that has been reared for 5+ years. Furthermore, field and lab trials were performed on the southern green stink bug to ascertain whether the growth regulator novaluron has economically beneficial applications in an integrated pest management system. This was accomplished in the field by evaluating novaluron's effect on yield and direct boll damage from stink bugs. Sublethal effects were evaluated in reciprocal crosses performed on treated and untreated male/female combinations in the lab to determine if novaluron affects fecundity and egg viability.
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