ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is an important fiber crop cultivated in almost every tropical country as well as in many parts of the subtropical world. In India, cotton has been cultivated since ancient times, playing a key role in the national economy. Cotton fields in India occupy an area of 8.9 m ha, representing the largest cotton-growing area in the world. However, it is only fourth place in production (11.1 m bales, each bale 170 kg lint), and the mean productivity is 292 kg lint/ha, which is just 50% of the world average of 583 kg lint/ha [1]. Lack of suitable disease-management programs is considered to be one of the most important factors limiting the productivity of this crop [2]. The present chapter will discuss the changing disease scenario of cotton and the biocontrol approaches so far taken in combating such diseases, keeping in view the fundamental research and its ecofriendly application in integrated disease/crop management.
