MARKET EFFECTS OF COTTON INTEGRATED PEST-MANAGEMENT

Widely reported research results indicate that cotton integrated pest management (IPM) generally reduces chemical use and increases net retu rns. Despite these favorable research results, many farmers have not a dopted IPM and others have adopted only some of the available technolo gies. Given rising marginal costs and diminishing marginal benefits fr om IPM technology transfer, an optimal control framework is developed to identify optimal rates of technology transfer through educational p rograms. Results from an analysis of this dynamic adoption process for cotton IPM are presented. Considering the complex and evolving nature of cotton IPM, continuing educational efforts to transfer IPM technol ogies are warranted.