Modelling Pesticide Treatment Effects on Lygus hesperus in Cotton Fields

Abstract : We continue our efforts on modeling of the population dynamics of herbivorous insects in order to develop and implement effective pest control protocols. In the context of inverse problems, we explore the dynamic effects of pesticide treatments on Lygus hesperus, a common pest of cotton in the western United States. Fitting models to field data, we consider model selection for an appropriate mathematical model and corresponding statistical models, and use techniques to compare models. We address the question of whether data, as it is currently collected, can support time-dependent (as opposed to constant) parameter estimates.