Evaluation of Early Season Foliar Fungicide Applications for Improved Plant Health in Cotton

Early season fungicide applications were made to cotton to determine if their were any  plant health benefits in the absence of disease pressure.  Fungicide trials were conducted in Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Virginia.  The objective of these studies was to determine if there was yield increase or economic benefit of applying a fungicide to cotton in the absence of disease pressure and to determine if differences in plant health could be measured.  Foliar fungicide applications were made when cotton reached the 2-4 true leaf stage.  Fungicides evaluated in these studies included Quadris^® and Priaxor^®.  At 0, 14, and 28 DAT, the following data was collected:  plant height, number of nodes, vigor ratings, chlorophyll measurements, and leaf area.  Lint yield and fiber quality were determined at harvest.  Experimental design was a randomized complete block design with 6-8 replications depending on the location.