Fusarium Seedling Disease of Cotton
Published: 08/18/2023
Various species of Fusarium are known to cause seedling diseases in cotton. These include F. chlamydosporum, F. equiseti, F. gramineratum, F. lateritium, F. moniliforme, F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum, F. semitectum, F. solani, and F. sporotrichioides, which result in varying levels of disease. Fusarium can infect seed before germination and pre- and postemergence, leading to damping-off and reduced plant growth. Symptoms include brown to reddish lesions in the hypocotyl region, necrotic (dead) cortical regions in the lower stem and upper root and a shallow root system with only lateral roots.
Stressful environmental conditions can increase the susceptibility of cotton seedlings to Fusarium spp., and the presence of plant-parasitic nematodes can worsen the disease. Fusarium spp. are commonly found in cotton soils and can occur with other seedling pathogens, forming what is often called the “cotton seedling disease complex.”
Management practices for Fusarium include planting high-quality seed and using effective labeled fungicide seed treatments.
Written and reviewed by Travis Faske, University of Arkansas; Tom Allen, Mississippi State University; and Trey Price, Louisiana State University.
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