Crop: Cotton

Overview

Cotton is one of the most important fiber crops worldwide, also providing cottonseed for oil and animal feed. It plays a crucial role in the textile, food, and agricultural industries. However, cotton is vulnerable to a variety of diseases, insect pests, and weeds, which can severely affect fiber quality and yield. Sustainable production depends on integrated pest management (IPM), including resistant varieties, crop rotation, and timely chemical and cultural control.

Cotton Crop Management Recommendations

⛳ Use Resistant Varieties: For seed treatment to protect seedlings, use Imidacloprid 600g/l FS. Selecting varieties adapted to local climate and soil conditions is fundamental.

⛳ Field Sanitation: Before sowing, control early weeds with Glyphosate 360 g/L SL. Maintaining clean fields by removing previous crop residues further reduces pest habitats.

⛳ Crop Rotation: To control soil-borne nematodes after legumes, apply Cadusafos 100 g/L EC. Rotating with non-host crops breaks pest cycles, improves soil structure.

⛳ Regular Scouting: Upon detecting bollworms, spray Emamectin Benzoate 5% SG. Consistent monitoring helps in early detection of nutrient deficiencies.

⛳ Timely Chemical Control: For aphid and whitefly outbreaks, use Acetamiprid 20% SP. Implementing integrated pest management, including biological controls.

⛳ Balanced Fertilization & Irrigation: To prevent fungal wilts, apply Carbendazim 50% WP to the root zone.

Common Cotton Diseases

1. Bacterial Blight

Impact: Reduces leaf area and boll formation.
Symptoms: Angular, water-soaked spots on leaves, stems, and bolls that turn dark brown.
Management: Spray Kasugamycin 2% SL at disease onset or after rain/wind.

2. Fusarium Wilt

Impact: Causes plant wilting and death.
Symptoms: Wilting from lower leaves upward, brown vascular discoloration, plant death.
Management: Apply Carboxin·Thiram 40% SC as soil drench during transplanting.

3. Verticillium Wilt

Impact: Reduces boll development and yield.
Symptoms: Yellow patches on lower leaves, leaf scorch, vascular browning, slow defoliation.
Management: Treat seeds with Fludioxonil 25 g/L FS before sowing.

4. Boll Rot

Impact: Directly reduces yield and severely compromises fiber quality, leading to significant economic loss.
Symptoms: Brown or pink mold on bolls, causing rot, stiffened locks, or shedding.
Management: Spray Azoxystrobin 250 g/L SC during boll formation in wet weather.

Common Cotton Pests

1. Cotton Bollworm

Identification: Larvae bore into and feed on cotton buds, flowers, and bolls, causing abscission or boll rot. It is a primary pest causing significant yield loss.,
Management: Apply Chlorantraniliprole 200 g/L SC as a foliar spray during peak egg hatching, before larvae bore into the bolls.

2. Cotton Aphid

Identification: Colonies cluster on the undersides of young leaves and stems to suck sap, leading to leaf curling and a shiny appearance. They excrete honeydew, which promotes sooty mold.,
Management: At the first sign of infestation, spray with Thiamethoxam 25% WG, which has systemic action.

3. Whiteflies

Identification: Adults and nymphs feed on the undersides of leaves, causing chlorosis and wilting. They also excrete honeydew and can transmit viral diseases.,
Management: At the early stages of infestation, apply Bifenthrin 100 g/L EC or Spirotetramat 22.4% SC for control.

4. Red Spider Mite

Identification: Tiny mites that feed on the undersides of leaves, causing stippling (yellow-white spots). Severe infestations lead to reddish-brown, desiccated leaves that drop prematurely.,
Management: At the initial, localized stages, use Abamectin 1.8% EC or Pyridaben 15% EC for targeted spraying, ensuring thorough coverage of the leaf undersides.

Common Weeds in Cotton Fields

1. Large Crabgrass

Identification: An annual grass weed with stems that spread along the ground and root at the nodes. Highly competitive for nutrients and water.
Management: Apply Quizalofop-P-ethyl 50 g/L EC as a post-emergence spray before canopy closure.

2. Nutsedge

Identification: A perennial sedge with triangular stems and underground tubers. Extremely difficult to eradicate due to strong regrowth.
Management: Use Trifloxysulfuron 75% WG for directed spraying during mid-to-late growth stages.

3. Pigweed

Identification: An annual broadleaf weed with broad leaves and reddish stems. Adaptable and fast-growing, depleting soil nutrients.
Management: Spray Fluoroglycofen 10% EC at the seedling stage for rapid contact control.

4. Field Bindweed

Identification: A perennial broadleaf vine that twines around cotton plants, competing for light and hindering harvesting.
Management: Apply Glufosinate ammonium 200 g/L SL as a directed spray during vigorous growth, avoiding contact with cotton leaves.

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