08/26/2026
Areolate mildew and target spot aren't new to Southeast cotton.
Researchers with the national Cotton Research Area Committee have used spore trapping and field confirmation to document a re-emergence of both diseases across more than nine states this season, enough to trigger a coordinated regional monitoring effort. They've also found evidence that areolate mildew may actually be caused by two different fungi, not one, which changes how resistance breeding and prediction models need to be built going forward: https://na2.hubs.ly/H07f8SV0
Translation for growers in Georgia, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle: these diseases are moving, and the science on them is still catching up. Waiting until you see white mildew growth on the underside of a leaf means you're already behind.
A WatchDog weather station with a leaf wetness sensor gives you the field-level data these diseases actually respond to: 💧 Leaf wetness duration from frequent afternoon showers 🌡️ Temperature and humidity driving canopy conditions ☀️ Solar radiation and ET, so you're not overwatering into more disease pressure
Connect it to a disease model and you catch infection-favorable conditions building — before target spot shows up in the lower canopy or areolate mildew moves upward through the plant.
Not sure which setup fits your acres? Chat with a real person at https://na2.hubs.ly/H07dYZj0 and get a straight answer.
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The Cotton Research Area Committee (RAC) of the NPMTI is comprised of scientific experts in plant pathology, agronomy, and entomology representing a geographic area encompassing more than 98% of US cotton acres. Members of this committee provide the primary means of scientific prioritization for the...