Diseases of cotton are of a significant constraint to cotton production and have been identified as key areas for investment by the cotton industry.

Three species of Tetranychus spider mites are found in Australian cotton crops. Spider mites cause damage to cotton by feeding on individual leaf cells using their chelicerae to pierce and remove the cell contents.

Insecticide resistance results in reduced product efficacy and represents a major cost to agricultural production in terms of economic, environmental and social consequences.

A weed control threshold for cotton production was first released to the Australian industry in 2008.

• Cotton aphid, two-spotted mite (TSM), banana or strawberry spider mite (SSM), cotton seedling thrips, western flower thrips (WFT) and green mirid were collected from Australian cotton growing regions.