The Gwydir Valley region has been experiencing varying but rising levels of the incidence of Silver Leaf Whitefly (SLW) over the last few years, and the Macquarie is only a season or two behind.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in cotton emphasises conservation of beneficial species (mainly insects and spiders) to suppress pest populations and reduce the need to apply insecticides.

Prior to teh commencement of the 2016/17 cotton season, it was predicted that early season pest numbers would be extreme and widespread due to good winter and spring rainfall in all areas.

The End of Season Resistance Monitoring Report, by Sharon Downes, and the Conventional Insecticide Testing Report, by Lisa Bird provide a summary of the outcomes of both programs during this season.

Middle East – Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) or B-biotype, commonly referred to as silverleaf whitefly (SLW) is an introduced pest of Australian agriculture, particularly cotton and horticulture.