Farm Progress

Knowing the difference between bacterial blight and target spot will help in management decisions.

Ron Smith, Editor

March 28, 2018

7 Slides

Research scientists and Extension specialists are learning more about Target spot in cotton. “Here’s what we know," says  University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture plant pathologist Heather Kelly: "Fungus survives on cotton debris; infection depends on variety and location; yield loss can be 150 pounds of lint per acre or more; higher losses are more likely as yield increases; target spot develops after canopy closure; and late planted cotton is at lower risk."

She says symptoms differ from bacterial blight but confusion may be possible without close observation. "Boll rot is the main yield loss mechanism of bacterial blight, while target spot causes defoliation that has been correlated to yield loss," she said.

“Bacterial blight has had a minimal impact on yield so far in Tennessee,” Kelly said, “with little boll rot being observed so far.”

Here are images that show symptoms for each disease.  (Images courtesy of University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.)

Read more: https://bit.ly/2GkW2fz

 

 

About the Author(s)

Ron Smith

Editor, Farm Progress

Ron Smith has spent more than 30 years covering Sunbelt agriculture. Ron began his career in agricultural journalism as an Experiment Station and Extension editor at Clemson University, where he earned a Masters Degree in English in 1975. He served as associate editor for Southeast Farm Press from 1978 through 1989. In 1990, Smith helped launch Southern Turf Management Magazine and served as editor. He also helped launch two other regional Turf and Landscape publications and launched and edited Florida Grove and Vegetable Management for the Farm Press Group. Within two years of launch, the turf magazines were well-respected, award-winning publications. Ron has received numerous awards for writing and photography in both agriculture and landscape journalism. He is past president of The Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association and was chosen as the first media representative to the University of Georgia College of Agriculture Advisory Board. He was named Communicator of the Year for the Metropolitan Atlanta Agricultural Communicators Association. Smith also worked in public relations, specializing in media relations for agricultural companies. Ron lives with his wife Pat in Denton, Texas. They have two grown children, Stacey and Nick, and two grandsons, Aaron and Hunter.

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