A capacity to accurately assess economically important insects and their impact on crop physiology is pivotal to making informed and cost-effective decisions within an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) framework.

Australian cotton is now dominated by transgenic (Bt) varieties, which provides a strong platform for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of key pests such as Helicoverpa spp.

The study determined the chemical components of cotton and alternative host plants that influence acceptance or rejection of such plants by adults and larvae of Helicoverpa spp.