The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-02-02
Wilt Diseases of Cotton and Cowpeas

The disease known throughout
central and eastern South Carolina
as "black root or "wilt'' is getting
to be widespread. A few years ago
wilt only occurred in certain small
areas in Marion, Sumter, and Marl-
boro counties. Now it is found in
every county east of Columbia and
seems to be making it's way gradu-
ally into the piedmont section. 1t
is estimated that wilt caused over a
million dollars loss in this State last
season.
The fungus which causes wilt is
primarily a soil organism. Land
once infested with it remains so in
definitely. This makes the disease
hard to control Rotation cannot be
relied upon and fungicides are USE
less. The only means we have then
of controlling these diseases is by
the use of wilt resistant varieties. Mr..
Orton and Mr.. Gilbert, of the U. S.
department of agriculture at Wash
ington, have originated two varieties
of cotton and one of cowpeas which
are almost immune to wilt. These
varieties are very resistant to the
root-knot disease which is frequently
found associated with wilt. These
resistant varieties have proven OF
enormous value to farmers in the wilt
infested districts. BY the use of
these many farms which had to be
abandoned on account of the wilt
disease have been restored to their
former productiveness.
The trouble about the wilt resist
ant varieties, though, is that they
will not retain their wilt resistant
property indefinitely and under. all
conditions It has been found for
instance that when such varieties are
grown under ordinary farm prac-
tices for three or four years, they
degenerate to such an extent that
they become practically worthless
from a wilt resistant standpoint. On
the other hand where sufficient care
is exercised these varieties retain
their wilt resistant properties indef-
initely. A recent survey of the wilt
infested sections Of the State shows
that the majority of people who are
planting wilt resistant varieties cot
ton and cowpeas are taking absolute
ly no precautions to keep the varie-
ties pure. Under such conditions the
resistant varieties have gone back to
such an extent that many farmers
are beginning to wonder whether
there is such thing as a variety
which is free from wilt.
In order to correct this trouble and
at the same time improve the quail
ty and productiveness of some of the
wilt resistant varieties of cotton and
cowpeas, the S. c. experiment sta
ton in conjunction with the U. s.
department of agriculture is plan
ming to cooperate with a number of
farmers in the wilt infested sections
of the State in the production OF
high grade seed of the resistant va
rieties. In this cooperative work,
the plan is to furnish small guam
tity of pure bred, highly improved
seed to one or more farmers in each
county where wilt is causing trouble.
One man under the direction of the
division of cotton and truck diseases
of the bureau of plant industry and
the botany division of the S. G. ex-
pertinent station will devote his en-
tire time to studying this problem
and to helping these cooperative
breeders in selecting and breeding
their cotton and cowpeas for wilt
resistance. These cooperative breed
ers will be given an official certifi-
cate of inspection at the end of the
season setting forth the character of
Eseed produced. They will then sell
such seed to their neighbors who are
suffering from losses from the wilt
disease at a reasonabel price. This
it seems is the most practical way to
produce high grade seed which are
known to be wilt resistant.
H. w. BARRE,
Botanist S. C. Experiment Station.