DISEASES OF COTTON

Stenosis or Small leaf - Phytoplsama
Symptoms
The disease appears when the plants are two to three months old and affected plants are stunted. They put forth numerous extremely small leaves in cluster and the dormant buds are stimulated resulting in profuse vegetative growth. The leaves are disfigured and variously lobed. Flowers remain small with abortive ovary.
Large number of flower buds and young seeds. Root system is poorly developed and can be easily pulled out. Sometimes, the disease affects only the base of the plant, resulting in the formation of clump of short branches which bear small and deformed leaves. The mode of transmission of disease and the role of vector are unknown.

Management

• Rogue out the infected plants periodically.
• Cotton varieties developed from Gossypium hirsutumand G. barbadenseare found to be resistant to the disease.