Causes and Control Methods of Acute Wilting in Cotton After Rain
Spring and summer are rainy seasons, and cotton plants are highly prone to acute wilting when the sky suddenly clears after rain, and in severe cases, plant death can occur, causing huge losses to cotton yields. So what causes acute wilting in cotton? How should it be controlled? Let's take a look.
1. Soil oxygen deficiency
The rainy season easily leads to waterlogging in the soil, resulting in poor soil permeability, and in severe cases causing soil compaction, which reduces the oxygen content in the soil. The roots then receive insufficient oxygen, and over time the root system becomes suffocated, affecting its normal absorption function. The longer the suffocation lasts, the more severely the root system is damaged, and acute wilting occurs.
Control measures: For cotton fields with standing water, drain the water promptly after rain. For waterlogged cotton fields, loosen the soil promptly to reduce surface soil moisture and increase soil permeability, so that the roots receive sufficient oxygen.
2. Improper fertilization
If too much fertilizer is applied at one time, the rain dissolves the fertilizer afterward, but because the amount of fertilizer is too large, the dissolved fertilizer solution becomes too concentrated, causing reverse osmosis in the cotton leaves and leading to rapid leaf wilting.
Control methods: Pay attention to the amount when fertilizing; a single fertilization should not be excessive. When leaf wilting occurs, promptly carry out foliar fertilization, using a mixed solution of 0.2% monopotassium phosphate and 1%-2% urea, spraying once every week for 2-3 consecutive times, which can effectively alleviate the wilting.
3. Pests and diseases
The high-humidity environment after rain provides favorable conditions for the development of pests and diseases, making it very easy to trigger Fusarium wilt, Verticillium wilt, tarnished plant bugs, and other pests and diseases, which when they occur can cause acute wilting over large or small areas.
Control methods: After rain, first carry out drainage measures, then strengthen ventilation to reduce field humidity, so as to avoid triggering pests and diseases. For fields where pests and diseases have occurred, deal with them promptly and spray the corresponding pesticides for control to minimize losses. At the same time, use foliar fertilization to alleviate the wilting phenomenon, so as not to affect yield.
The above is an introduction to the causes and control methods of acute wilting in cotton after rain. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please follow us.