Cotton Wilt

Symptom

The disease is caused by Fusarium and Verticillium fungi. It can affect plants at all stages of growth. If infection occurs at the seedling stage, plants may die early. In mature plants, the margins of lower leaves lose their green color, turn yellow, and the discoloration gradually spreads toward the midrib. The lower leaves begin to wilt first, and the infection progressively moves upward to the upper leaves. In some cases, wilting is observed only on one side of the plant. Eventually, leaves dry up and fall off. Infected plants exhibit stunted growth and appear dwarfed. In severe cases, all the leaves lose their green color, dry out, and the entire plant wilts and dies due to impaired water uptake. When the stem is cut open, the vascular tissues show brown discoloration.