Diseases

Fusarium Wilt of Cotton

Gossypium hirsutum L.

A vascular disease of cotton caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum, which enters through the roots and affects the plant's vascular system. The disease leads to vein necrosis, leaf drop, browning of the stem's vascular ring, and crop loss.

In the reference 11 varieties crop Upland cotton, where this is mentioned in the description.

The causal agent of the disease is a specialized form of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum Schl. f. sp. vasinfectum. The pathogen population includes physiological races 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8, with race 4 considered the most aggressive, capable of infecting seedlings and spreading through seed material. Pathogen isolates are also classified by vegetative compatibility groups and pathotypes.

Symptoms manifest as yellow spots and vein necrosis of the leaves, giving them a characteristic reticulate appearance, followed by leaf drop. The primary diagnostic sign is the browning of the vascular tissues in the stem, petioles, and bolls, which is visible in cross-section. Infection leads to plant wilting and total loss of productivity.

Breeding for resistance to this disease relies on identifying QTLs (quantitative trait loci) associated with resistance and using molecular markers such as SSR and SNP. Modern research is also focused on increasing resistance through the application of knockout technologies for specific pathogen genes.

General information about the subject — on the page Fusarium wilt and blight.

Sources8

Varieties of Upland cotton mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.