Plant seed with a minimum of 80 percent germination. Plant the most vigorous seed early in the season when seedling disease pressure is the greatest. Plant In Warm Soil . The National Weather Service at Auburn reports soil temperatures along with a cotton planting advisory through many radio and television stations in Alabama. And In Well-Drained Soils .
Wet soils favor the growth of many soil fungi and retard or slow the growth of cotton seedlings.
Avoid Chemical Or Mechanical Injury . Excessive rates of herbicides, fertilizers, insecticides, or fungicides applied in the drill area can injure seedlings, making them more susceptible to seedling disease. Using high rates of dinitroanaline herbicides or incorporating them too deeply can inhibit root growth and increase seedling disease. Plant Only Treated Seed . Seed treatment will kill most fungal pathogens on the seed coat and protect the seed during germination.