Wilt: An important fungal disease of cotton under South Gujarat region of India

Abstract

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is one of the most important fiber crops playing a key role in economic globe. In this experiment, different districts of South Gujarat were closely examined for wilt disease in different cultivars / Bt cotton hybrids during the crop season to know the current scenario of wilt disease. The symptoms of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum is both seed borne and soil borne and colonizes the roots and vascular system of susceptible cotton cultivars, causing root and vascular discoloration, wilting and sometimes death of the plant. As the wilt disease is becoming an important and destructive disease in the cotton growing areas. So, a field survey was conducted to collect the information on the severity of wilt of cotton in selected districts of South Gujarat region, viz. Surat, Bharuch and Narmada, respectively. The maximum incidence of wilt disease was found in Bharuch district ranged from 8.00 to 21.00 with the maximum per cent incidence 21.00 per cent was observed in Ranipura village of Amod Taluka of South Gujarat and rest were intermittent.