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Status of Cotton Boll Rot in the San Joaquin Valley of California Following Simulated Pink Bollworm Injury. R. K. Kiyomoto, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Berkeley 94720, Senior author current address: Research assistant, Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman 99163; L. J. Ashworth, Jr., Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Berkeley 94720. Phytopathology 64:259-260. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-64-259.

Ten experiments were conducted in the San Joaquin Valley of California to determine the potential contribution of the pink bollworm to development of boll rot diseases of cotton. Simulated exit tunnels of larvae of this insect predisposed immature bolls to infection. Bolls with one perforated carpel were less likely to be infected than bolls in which all carpels were perforated. Results of these tests suggest that presence of this predisposing factor would change the status of boll rots, including disease from Aspergillus flavus, from minor to major importance.