The Path to Cotton Leaf Curl Virus Resistant Cotton and Further Steps to Sustainability

Cotton leaf curl virus disease (CLCuV) is a gemivirus that is currently devastating cotton crops in Pakistan and Northern India. There is evidence that it is spreading and the USDA has designated CLCuV as a top 20 threat to U.S. agriculture. The identification and transfer of two sources of genetic resistance into adapted cotton lines are highlighted and steps to preserve the resistance in the face of an ever changing virus are described.