Assessment of levels of resistance of cotton cultivars to isolates of Xanthomonas malvacearum (E.F. Smith) Dowson in Nigeria

Nine cotton cultivars were assessed for resistance to bacterial blight by inoculation of the mid-veins of leaves of seedlings at the four- to six-leaf stage with six isolates of Xanthomonas malvacearum (E.F. Sm.) Dowson, obtained from the three cotton-growing zones of northern Nigeria. The length of lesions 15 days after inoculation formed the basis of assessment. REBA B-50 and RASA (76)101 were highly resistant, while RSA(68)27 and BJA-592 were classified as resistant. The moderately resistant group consisted of Arkansas 52-21, Samaru 77 and Samaru 72. Samaru 71 was less susceptible than Samaru 26J, the susceptible control. There were also differences in virulence amongst the six isolates of X. malvacearum used in the test, suggesting the possible presence of races of the pathogen.