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Altered source-sink dynamics influence Verticillium wilt expression in cotton
Xian Yu1, Warwick Stiller2, Warren Conaty3
1Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture & Food, Narrabri, New South Wales, Australia; xian.yu@csiro.au.
Plant Disease
|June 18, 2026
Summary
Altering cotton
Area of Science:
- Plant Pathology
- Agronomy
- Plant Physiology
Background:
- Verticillium wilt (VW) is a significant threat to cotton production due to the pathogen's persistence in soil and limited control options.
- Understanding factors influencing VW severity is crucial for developing effective management strategies in cotton.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how manipulating source-sink dynamics affects Verticillium wilt severity in cotton.
- To assess the impact of reproductive demand on cotton's susceptibility to Verticillium wilt.
Main Methods:
- Two cotton genotypes were grown in a field naturally infested with Verticillium dahliae.
- Source-sink dynamics were altered through different boll removal treatments (none, single, repeated).
- Disease severity was evaluated using leaf disk assays, visual symptoms, vascular browning, and pathogen DNA quantification.
Main Results:
- Consistent reduction in reproductive sink demand significantly decreased VW severity and improved plant health.
- A single boll removal treatment had minimal impact on VW severity.
- The leaf disk assay was identified as a reliable and rapid method for assessing VW and treatment effects.
Conclusions:
- Plant physiological status, specifically source-sink balance, plays a critical role in Verticillium wilt development in cotton.
- While boll removal impacts VW, it is not a commercially viable disease management strategy.
- This research provides empirical evidence linking plant physiology to field-level disease severity.
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