Also called angular leaf spot because of the angular appearance of the lesions, bacterial blight favors humid weather and heavy field irrigation. Small, dark spots are first visible on the underside of leaves and later on the upper leaf surface. Photo courtesy of Clemson University - USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series, Bugwood.org.
Diseases in cotton threaten the crop from the seedling stage until late in the season. They can lower yields and quality and, in some cases, wipe out whole stands.
It’s important to protect the cotton crop from the seedling stage through maturity with a watchful eye for the signs of cotton diseases. Proactive cotton disease and resistance management during the current growing season can help protect this year’s yields as well as future crops. To do so, farmers should recognize the symptoms of these common cotton diseases: