The use of transgenic (Bt) cotton (Ingard® and more recently Bollgard II®) has greatly reduced the use of insecticides in Australian cotton production and the status of key lepidopteran pests such as Helicoverpa spp.

The Australian Cotton Industry has been actively practising insecticide resistance management for 25 years, with the introduction of the Insecticide Resistance Management Strategy (IRMS) in 1983.

Key factors in managing transgenic Bt cottons for the future are to have an effective resistance management strategy. An essential component of any such strategy is to establish a resistance monitoring program.