Dr C D Mayee, cotton epidemiologist and president of SABC, said, “For the first time in a decade, the economic threshold level of boll rot has crossed the severe outbreak mark of 20% in Kurnool district.” Mayee added that the disease has long been recognised as one of the most economically damaging for cotton in South-Central India.Dr Dilip Monga, former head of ICAR-Central Institute For Cotton Research, noted that incessant rains have worsened boll rot severity, with leaf spot cases also rising in recent years. Farmers have been advised to adopt combined cultural practices, balanced crop nutrition, prophylactic measures and integrated pest management for sustainable control.Andhra Pradesh contributes about 10% of India’s cotton production, with Kurnool serving as a key hub. The outbreak comes just weeks after farmers in North India reported leafhopper (jassid) infestations in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.Adding to farmer distress, the Centre recently scrapped the 11% import duty on cotton, leading to cheaper imports from the US.
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