By Clint Thompson
Georgia cotton farmers have dealt with numerous challenges in previous years. This latest obstacle will threaten this year’s crop if growers do not intervene.
Camp Hand, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension cotton agronomist, spoke about bronze wilting in Georgia cotton during the recent Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC) meeting. Hand emphasized that the symptoms were observed in five different varieties and are testing positive for cotton leafroll dwarf virus.
“It should be a concern to the entire industry. Those symptoms went away in the late 90s, and they’re back in five different varieties in three different companies. It’s pretty clear to me it’s back in the gene pool of commercial varieties,” Hand said. “Those bronze wilt type symptoms are testing positive for cotton leafroll dwarf virus, and we did see an uptick of that in 2024.
“We’ve known that’s been around for the last 10 years. It just reared its head this past year. It was a problem where it was a problem.”
Varieties Impacted
The symptoms were seen in the following varieties: Dynagrow 3615, Dynagrow H959, Dynagrow 3799, NexGen 5430 and Vitagen 475.
“Where we saw in the varieties with severe symptoms, we saw 300 to 400 pounds of yield loss compared to varieties that don’t have the symptoms. It’s pretty serious,” Hand said. “If you don’t want to see it, don’t plant one of those five varieties which is tough because those varieties on the list, at least three of them I know, some of the growers in Georgia, they’ve been making really good cotton with them. Some of (the growers) are willing to roll the dice. The only way to not see the symptoms is don’t plant the varieties.
“The varieties that are more impacted are listed in the production guide, and I’m sharing a list in my production meetings. It is concerning because you don’t know where it’s going to show up next.”