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Title: Using airborne imagery to monitor cotton root rot progression in fungicide-treated and untreated cotton fields

Author
item Yang, Chenghai
item ODVODY, GARY - Texas A&M Agrilife
item FERNANDEZ, CARLOS - Texas A&M Agrilife
item LANDIVAR, JUAN - Texas A&M Agrilife
item MINZENMAYER, RICHARD - Texas A&M Agrilife
item NICHOLS, ROBERT - Cotton, Inc

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/18/2013
Publication Date: 6/5/2013
Citation: Yang, C., Odvody, G.N., Fernandez, C.J., Landivar, J.A., Minzenmayer, R.R., Nichols, R.L. 2013. Using airborne imagery to monitor cotton root rot progression in fungicide-treated and untreated cotton fields. Proceedings of the Beltwide Cotton Conferences. pp. 507-512.

Interpretive Summary: Cotton root rot has affected cotton production in the southwestern and south central U.S for over a century. Recent field studies have shown that Topguard fungicide has considerable promise for controlling this disease. This study used airborne multispectral imagery to monitor the progression of cotton root rot infection in cotton fields treated or untreated with the fungicide. Images taken of fields with fungicide-treated and untreated areas illustrated the efficacy of Topguard for the control of the disease. Findings from this study will lead to applications of fungicide exclusively in infected fields or sections of fields, which will reduce crop production costs and pesticide exposure.

Technical Abstract: Cotton root rot is a serious and destructive disease that has affected cotton production in the southwestern and south central U.S for over a century. Recent field studies have shown that Topguard fungicide has considerable promise for controlling this disease. With the authorization (Section 18 exemption) for use of the fungicide to control cotton root rot in 2012 in Texas, many cotton growers used this product to treat their fields that have been historically infected with the disease. The objective of this study was to use airborne multispectral imagery to monitor the progression of cotton root rot infection in cotton fields treated or untreated with the fungicide. Airborne multispectral imagery with blue, green, red and near-infrared bands was taken from a number of infected fields in the Coastal Bend near Edroy, TX and the Southern Rolling Plains near San Angelo, TX multiple times during the 2012 growing season. These images were compared with the images taken in previous years to document the consistence and change of the disease over the years. Images taken from fields with fungicide-treated and untreated areas were used to illustrate the efficacy of Topguard for the control of the disease. Although dry weather conditions in 2012 made it difficult to assess the efficacy of the fungicide in dryland fields, the performance of the fungicide in irrigated fields was encouraging. As another Section 18 has been approved for use of the fungicide in Texas in 2013, the findings from this study, including the historical images, will be useful for identifying infected fields for whole-field and site-specific treatments and for assessing the efficacy of the fungicide in the coming years.