DISEASES OF COTTON

DISEASES CAUSAL ORGANISM

Fusarium Wilt Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.vasinfectum
Verticilium Wilt Verticillium dahliae
Grey mildew or Areolate mildew Ramularia areola
Root rot Rhizoctonia bataticola
Anthracnose Colletotrichum capsici
Leaf blight Alternaria macrospora
Bacterial blight Xanthomonas campestris pv. malvacearum
Leaf curl Complex Viruses (DNA & Satellite virus) & Tobacco
streak virus.

1. Fusarium WILT -Fusarium oxysporium f.sp.vasinfectum

Symptoms
The earliest symptom appears on the seedlings, the leaves turn to yellow and then brown. In
older plants, the defoliation starts from the older leaves at the base, followed by younger ones towards the
top. Browning or blackening of vascular tissues can be seen which spreads downwards to lateral roots. In
severe cases, discolouration may extend throughout the plant starting from roots extending to stem, leaves
and even bolls.
Pathogen
The fungus produces Microconidia, Macroconidia (3-5 septate) and chlamydospores and
produces fusaric acid and vivotoxin which is partially responsible for the disease.
Mode of Spread
Chlamydospores via irrigation water or agricultural implements.
Survival
The pathogen survives as saprophytic in the form of chlamydospores.
Epidemiology
High soil temperature of 28 to 300 C favours the disease. Heavy black soil with alkaline
reaction and wound caused by (Meloidogyne incognita) root knot nematode
Management
 Deep summer ploughing
 Treat the acid-delinted seeds with carboxin or chlorothalonil at 4 g/kg
 Application of FYM or compost @ 12.5 tons/ha
 Grow resistant varieties like Varalakshmi, Vijay, Pratap, Jayadhar and Verum

2. Verticillium wilt - Verticillium dahliae

Symptoms
The first symptoms can be seen as bronzing of veins followed by interveinal chlorosis and
yellowing of leaves. The characteristic diagnostic feature is the drying of the leaf margins and areas
between veins, which gives a “tiger stripe or tiger claw’’ appearance. In severe cases, when infected
stem and roots are split open, shows a pinkish discolouration of the woody tissues.
Pathogen
The pathogen produces hyaline conidia with conidiophores and micro sclerotia
Mode of Spread
Primary spread through micro sclerotia and the secondary spread through conidia in soil
spread through irrigation water and implements.
Survival
Survive in the Infected plant debris in soil (The fungus exists as micro sclerotia in soil upto 14
years without the host plant)
Epidemiology
 Low temperature (15-20o C), Heavy application of nitrogenous fertilizer favour the disease
development.
Management
 Remove and burn the infected plant debris in soil after deep summer ploughing
 Treat the acid-delinted seeds with carboxin or chlorothalonil at 4 g/kg of seed
 Application of FYM or compost @ 12.5 tons/ha
 Grow resistant varieties like Sujatha, Suvin and CBS 156.

3. Grey/ Areolate Mildew - Ramularia areola

Symptoms
Infection starts on under surface of bottom leaves. Irregular to angular, pale translucent
lesions develop on the lower surface, usually bound by vein lets. A whitish grey powdery growth
appears on lower surface. In severe cases, affected leaves dry up from margin, cup inward and fall
off prematurely.
Pathogen
The pathogen produces endophytic mycelium, conidiophores are short and hyaline and the
conidia are born in chains which are hyaline with 1-3 septation.
Mode of Spread
The pathogen spreads through wind borne conidia and water
Survival
The pathogen survives in the infected plant debris
Epidemiology
Wet humid conditions and intermittent rain encourage the disease
Management
 Remove and burn the infected plant debris in soil
 Spray the crop with carbendazim at 250 g/ha or wettable sulphur at 1.25 g/ha
 Grow resistant varieties like Sujatha, Varalakshmi and Savitri

4. Root rot - Rhizoctonia bataticola

Symptoms
Germinating seedlings (1-2 weeks old) are attacked at the hypocotyls (collar) regions. The
pathogen produce black lesions, girdling of stem and results in death of the seedling. The most
prominent symptom is sudden and complete wilting of plants in patches. The affected plants when
pulled, reveal the rotting of entire root system except tap root and few laterals. The bark of the affected
plant shreds and even extends above ground level.
Mode of Spread
Sclerotia are spread by irrigation water and cultural operations
Survival
The pathogen survives as Soil borne sclerotia
Epidemiology
Dry weather followed by heavy rain, high soil temperature and low soil moisture encourage the
disease development.
Management
 Seed treatment with carboxin or thiram or carbendazim at 2 g/kg or T.asperellum at 4 g/kg of
seed or P.fluorescens at 10 g/kg of seed
 Application of FYM at 10 tons/ha or neem cack at 250 kg/ha
 Inter cropping with sorghum / moth bean (Vigna aconitifolius)

5. Anthracnose - Colletotrichum capsici

Symptoms
 Infected plants produce small, reddish, circular spots on leaves. The most common
symptom boll spotting is appeared as small water-soaked, circular reddish brown depressed spots
on the bolls than spreads to bracts and interior portions of the bolls.
Mode of Spread and Survival
The pathogen spreads through wind borne conidia and survives in the seed
Epidemiology
Prolonged rain fall at boll formation stage helps in the disease development
Management
 Treat the delinted seeds with captan or thiram or carboxin at 2 g/kg of seed
 Spray the crop at boll formation stage with carbendazim @ 500 g/ha

6. Leaf Blight - Alternaria macrospora

Symptoms
This disease is more severe in 45- 60 Days old. Small brown, irregular or round spots with
central necrotic rings can be seen. In severe cases, the spots may appear on bracts and bolls
eventually leading to the defoliation.
Mode of Spread and Survival

The pathogen spreads through wind borne conidia and survive in infected plant debris.
Epidemiology
High humidity and intermittent rains favour the disease
Management
 Remove and destroy the infected plant debris
 Spray mancozeb or copper oxy chloride at 2 kg/ha

7. Bacterial Blight - Xanthomonas campestris pv.malvacearum

First reported in Alabama in U.S.A in 1891 and in India it was first reported in madras in 1918.
Symptoms
Five common phases of symptoms are noticed
a) Seedling blight
Small, water-soaked, circular or irregular lesions develop on the cotyledons later spreads to
stem through petiole and cause withering and death of seedling.
b) Angular leaf spot
Small water soaked spots develops on lower surface of leaves gradually become angular,
reddish brown spots restricted by veins and vein lets appear
c) Vein blight or Vein necrosis or Black vein
The infection causes blackening of the veins and veinlets, gives a typical “blighted appearance”
d) Black arm
Infection on the stem and fruiting branches appears as black lesions causing premature
defoliation of leaves resulting breaking of stem and hangs gives a typical black arm symptom.

e) Boll rot
On the bolls water soaked lesions appear and turn in to dark black sunken irregular spots
and spread entire boll causing premature bursting and shedding. The bacterium spread inside the boll
and the lint gets stained yellow due to the oozes of the bacterium.
Bacterium
The bacterium is rod shaped gram negative with single polar flagella.
Survival
The pathogen survives in seed borne and remains in the form of slimy mass on the fuzz of
seed coat.
Mode of Spread
Primary spread is through seed borne bacteria and Secondary spread takes place through
wind, rain splash and irrigation water
Epidemiology
 High temperature (30–400 C) and relative humidity 85%
Management
 Delint the cotton seeds with conc.H2So4 at 100 ml/kg of seed
 Soak the seeds in 1000 ppm streptomycin sulphate
 Spray streptomycin sulphate + tetracycline mixture 100 g with COC @ 2 kg/ha
 Grow resistant varieties like Sujatha.

8. Leaf curl – Complex Viruses ( DNA & Satellite virus ) & Tobacco streak virus.
Symptoms
The affected plants show characteristic symptoms of thickening and darkening of veins when
seen against sunlight called small vein thickening type (SVT) followed by distinct upward/downward
curling. In severe cases leaves develop secondary leaf-like structures originating from nectaries called
enations. The chlorosis of young leaves followed by necrosis, At mild temperatures (around 20°C), only
small necrotic spots develop. The large necrotic dots are develop when the temperature is above 30°C.
Square drying and dropping are also observed.

Spread – virus is transmitted by white fly.

Management
 Spray Chlorpyriphos 20% EC 1.25 lit /ha.