Organization Conducting Program: The Cotton Foundation with the assistance of a grant from Bayer CropScience.
Program Commencement Date: 1995
Program Objectives: To build awareness among U.S. cotton producers of the economic impact of cotton seedling diseases and to:
- Investigate the feasibility of developing a numerical rating system for growers to use to determine the need for chemical and/or cultural controls.
- Provide information on seedling disease control measures including cultural practices, chemical usage, and improved seed quality.
- Determine what chemicals growers are using and the methods of applications.
- Determine where seedling diseases are problems.
- Determine actual losses by seedling diseases by state.
- Determine the effects of diseases on ... stand, plant health (lethal and sub-lethal), plant growth, earliness, photosynthesis-transpiration, root-uptake, DD 60s, and others.
- Standardize methods for conducting and evaluating seedling diseases work.
- Integrate all state/regional activities so that they can be utilized in the Gossym-Comax crop simulator program.
Cotton Producing States Represented: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia.
Frequency of Activity Reports: Information that is collected is summarized annually and reported.
Publication in 1996: Cotton Seedling Diseases Identification Card, 3-3/8" x 8-3/8" plastic laminated, with color photographs and descriptions of Rhizoctonia, Pythium, and Thielaviopsis.