Abstract:Research on the seed dressing of cotton has been highly rewarding. All the main cotton-growing countries are steadily developing the techniques that best meet their particular requirements, and seed-borne diseases that once took a heavy toll of the crop are now being well controlled. Insecticidal seed treatment is also proving to be of value, and it may yet be possible to safeguard the plant in its early stages from both pests and pathogens.
“…Although seed treatment with mercurial dusts became widespread, particularly in the Sudan (Tarr, 1958;El Nur, 1970), India (Verma & Singh, 19746) and in Nigeria (Wickens, 1958) where Abavit B (a mixture of mercuric chloride and mercuric iodide) was highly effective, the poisonous nature of mercurial seed dressings restricted their use. Cuprous oxide, though inferior to mercurials became the standard seed treatment in East Africa (Brown, 1976).…”
Summary
1. Bacterial blight of cotton is potentially one of the most damaging diseases of cotton.
2. Its symptoms and adverse effect on yield are described.
3. Control measures include: (i) cultural techniques of crop sanitation, and the destruction of crop residues, as well as close seasons and crop rotation; (ii) chemical seed treatments and foliar sprays; (iii) the breeding of resistant varieties.
4. Techniques are described for the breeding of resistant varieties, and sources of useful genetic plant resistance identified.
5. The complex nature of the interactions between host genetic resistance, variation in the pathogen and environment is emphasized.
6. Successful resistance‐breeding programmes in Africa and the USA are reviewed, and attention is drawn to the pressing need for resistant varieties in India and Pakistan.
7. Continued success in the control of bacterial blight will require integrated programmes that include cultural methods, the use of chemicals (particularly as seed treatments) and the cultivation of resistant varieties with durable resistance.
“…Although seed treatment with mercurial dusts became widespread, particularly in the Sudan (Tarr, 1958;El Nur, 1970), India (Verma & Singh, 19746) and in Nigeria (Wickens, 1958) where Abavit B (a mixture of mercuric chloride and mercuric iodide) was highly effective, the poisonous nature of mercurial seed dressings restricted their use. Cuprous oxide, though inferior to mercurials became the standard seed treatment in East Africa (Brown, 1976).…”
Summary
1. Bacterial blight of cotton is potentially one of the most damaging diseases of cotton.
2. Its symptoms and adverse effect on yield are described.
3. Control measures include: (i) cultural techniques of crop sanitation, and the destruction of crop residues, as well as close seasons and crop rotation; (ii) chemical seed treatments and foliar sprays; (iii) the breeding of resistant varieties.
4. Techniques are described for the breeding of resistant varieties, and sources of useful genetic plant resistance identified.
5. The complex nature of the interactions between host genetic resistance, variation in the pathogen and environment is emphasized.
6. Successful resistance‐breeding programmes in Africa and the USA are reviewed, and attention is drawn to the pressing need for resistant varieties in India and Pakistan.
7. Continued success in the control of bacterial blight will require integrated programmes that include cultural methods, the use of chemicals (particularly as seed treatments) and the cultivation of resistant varieties with durable resistance.
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