Management strategies against target spots in cotton include planting soybeans in Brazil

Published 2024년 12월 6일

Tridge summary

Brazil is emerging as a leading global cotton producer, but its growth is threatened by target spot disease, which can slash productivity by up to 40%. This fungal disease, exacerbated by Brazil's hot and humid climate, particularly during rainy seasons, attacks cotton leaves, causing early defoliation and reducing boll quality. Effective control relies on integrated management practices like crop rotation, residue management, and fungicide application. Although no cotton cultivars are fully resistant, some show moderate resistance, aiding in disease management. TMG is working on developing cultivars with improved resistance, emphasizing that integrated management is crucial for mitigating target spot's impact and maintaining profitability.

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Original content

Cotton production in Brazil continues to grow, placing the country among the three largest producers in the world, according to data from the Brazilian Association of Cotton Producers (Abrapa). However, the sector faces ongoing challenges, especially with the increase in the incidence of diseases such as target spot. This fungus, which can result in losses of up to 40% in productivity, has become a major obstacle for cotton growers, according to studies by Embrapa. Diego Palharini, technical consultant at Tropical Melhoramento & Genética (TMG), which specializes in genetic solutions for cotton, soybeans and corn, explains that target spot directly affects cotton yield, mainly attacking the leaves of the plant. This causes early defoliation, reducing photosynthetic capacity and, consequently, compromising the formation of smaller and lower quality bolls, in addition to reducing the final weight of the fiber. The presence of the fungus in crop residues also aggravates the situation, ...

Source: Portal Do Agronegocio