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.

The introduction of transgenic cotton within the cotton industry has allowed for increased yields due to

decreased losses from insect activities. The main pests which have been targeted through the genetic

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.

The advent of Bt-cotton led to a dramatic decline in insecticide use against Helicoverpa spp. in the Australian cotton industry.