A Detailed Guide to Identifying and Controlling Common Cotton Pests and Diseases

China is a major cotton-producing country, and everyone knows that we cannot do without cotton in our daily lives, as it is mainly used to make all kinds of clothing and many household items. However, during cotton cultivation, many diseases can cause trouble, and these diseases affect the quality and yield of cotton. Below, Qinong Net brings you the common cotton pests and diseases and their control methods.

1. Cotton Fusarium Wilt

Cotton Fusarium wilt is the most common and most important disease of cotton. It occurs worldwide and causes serious harm to cotton production, resulting in relatively large losses. Cotton Fusarium wilt mainly harms cotton seedlings. When the disease occurs, it takes various forms: some leaves develop yellow net-like veining and eventually wither, while some leaves turn yellow or purple, but in the end all the leaves wither and the plant dies.

Control methods: The pathogen of Fusarium wilt can safely overwinter in soil and fertilizer, and continues to spread to new plants the following year, so before planting, seeds, soil and fertilizer must be disinfected and sterilized. Plant at a reasonable density and fertilize properly. In the early stage of the disease, diluted carbendazim can be used to drench the roots or spray the plants.

2. Cotton Verticillium Wilt

Cotton Verticillium wilt differs from Fusarium wilt by only one character in its name. From the name we can tell that when cotton Verticillium wilt occurs, the leaves lose water and yellow patches appear on the leaves. As the disease spreads, the diseased spots gradually enlarge. After prolonged drought followed by heavy rain, the leaves suddenly wilt and then fall off.

Control methods: Choose varieties with relatively strong disease resistance, avoid continuous cropping, and preferably rotate with other crops, which can reduce the occurrence of the disease. During the squaring stage, spray growth regulators such as mepiquat chloride, and regularly spray agents such as mancozeb or thiophanate-methyl • thiram, which have a preventive effect.

3. Cotton Aphid

Cotton aphids mainly harm cotton seedlings. The aphids suck the sap from the seedling leaves, causing the seedling leaves to curl, which prevents normal growth and development, affects the flowering and boll stages, and causes late maturity and reduced yield of the plants.

Control methods: Use insecticides that cause relatively little harm to the plants for spraying and killing.

4. Cotton Bollworm

Cotton bollworm mainly harms cotton during the bud and boll stage. Cotton bollworm gnaws on cotton buds, flowers and bolls as well as tender stems, causing phenomena such as failure to flower, shedding of bracts and rotten bolls, ultimately affecting the quality and yield of cotton.

Control methods: Likewise, use insecticides that cause relatively little harm to the plants for spraying and killing.

The above are the common cotton pests and diseases and their control methods brought to you by Qinong Net. We hope this article can be helpful to friends who grow cotton or want to grow cotton. Preventing cotton pests and diseases is the key point to achieving high and excellent cotton yields.