Cotton Seedling Disease Management Studies Show Fungicide Use Is Effective for Alabama Farmers Kathy McLean and William Gazaway C otton, one of the most important agricultural commodities produced in Alabama, contributes significantly to Alabama's economic and employment base. In addition, if the seedling disease complex kills cotton seedlings, the producer must also pay for replanting, which includes additional seed, insecticides, herbicides, and application costs.
Producers can only replant if enough time is left in the growing season to produce a crop.
AAES studies indicate that using fungicides on cotton reduces losses to seedling diseases and generates sufficient additional revenues to cover the expense of fungicide application. Cotton production influences employment in Alabama affecting not only the cotton producers, farm managers, consultants, and labors but also those employed by seed dealers, chemical companies, cotton gins, warehouses, and cotton brokers. Seed borne and soil borne fungi, acting either singly or in combination, produce the seedling disease complex of cotton. Most fungal pathogens involved in the seedling disease complex are widespread fungi that are associated with many other plant hosts including cotton. The soil borne pathogens most commonly involved in the seedling disease complex in Alabama include four basic genera of fungi which include Rhizoctonia solani, Thielaviopsis basicola, Fusarium spp., and Pythium spp.