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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Aerial Application Technology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #302202
Title: Monitoring cotton root rot infection in fungicide-treated cotton fields using airborne imagery

Author
item Yang, Chenghai
item ODVODY, GARY - Texas Agrilife Research
item MINZENMAYER, RICHARD - Texas Agrilife Extension
item NICHOLS, ROBERT - Cotton, Inc
item ISAKEIT, THOMAS - Texas A&M University
item THOMASSON, ALEX - Texas A&M University
item FERNANDEZ, CARLOS - Texas Agrilife Research
item LANDIVAR, JUAN - Texas Agrilife Research

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/27/2014
Publication Date: 4/21/2014
Citation: Yang, C., Odvody, G., Minzenmayer, R., Nichols, R., Isakeit, T., Thomasson, A., Fernandez, C., Landivar, J. 2014. Monitoring cotton root rot infection in fungicide-treated cotton fields using airborne imagery. Proceedings of the Beltwide Cotton Conference. pp. 439-446.

Interpretive Summary: As Topguard fungicide is becoming available for the control of the destructive cotton root rot disease, it is important to evaluate the performance and efficacy of different fungicide treatments. This study employed airborne multispectral imagery to monitor the progression of cotton root rot infection in cotton fields treated with the fungicide. Temporal images taken from a number of treated cotton fields in the Coastal Bend near Edroy, TX, and the Southern Rolling Plains near San Angelo, TX, during the 2013 growing seasons revealed that the fungicide either completely controlled the disease within the season or delayed the initiation of the disease until near the end of the season. These results further confirmed that the fungicide is effective and will allow producers and researchers to refine current application methods and rates for more effective control of the disease.

Technical Abstract: With the authorization for use of Topguard fungicide (Section 18 exemption) on cotton in Texas to control cotton root rot in 2012 and 2013, many cotton growers used this product to treat their fields historically infected with the disease. The objectives of this study were to use airborne multispectral imagery to monitor the progression of cotton root rot infection in cotton fields treated with the fungicide and to assess the efficacy and performance of the fungicide treatments. Airborne multispectral imagery was taken from a number of treated cotton fields in the Coastal Bend near Edroy, TX and the Southern Rolling Plains near San Angelo, TX multiple times during the 2013 growing seasons. Temporal images revealed that the fungicide either completely controlled the disease within the season or delayed the initiation of the disease until near the end of the season. Comparison of images taken in 2013 with those under natural infection conditions in previous years showed that the fungicide with a rate of 2.34 L/ha (32 oz/ac) performed well in irrigated fields. The results from this study will be useful for assessing the efficacy of the fungicide and refining application methods and rates for optimal control of the disease.