Seed deterioration caused by microbial infection of seed is the most important disease condition for cottonseed producers Seed deterioration lowers the value of oil and meal and infection by mycotoxin producing organisms can make processed cottonseed products unsuitable for food or feed. Seed vigor is rapidly lost in deteriorated cottonseed used for planting. Low vigor seed increases susceptibility to the seedling disease complex, a serious disease problem for planting seed producers.

Seed deterioration is a natural process that begins at physiological maturity and proceeds until all of the seed tissue is dead. Plant physiologists have studied seed aging and have suggested three theories for deterioration: accumulation of deleterious metabolites, wear-and-tear on organelles, cells and organs, and somatic mutations(I).