Cotton stalk management and a cover crop produce minimal effects on cotton leafroll dwarf virus

Abstract In 2017, cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) was first reported in the United States. One CLRDV inoculum source includes the previous year's cotton stalks; hence, destroying cotton stalks could be effective for CLRDV management. However, tillage‐intensive stalk destruction methods (SDMs) can degrade southeastern soils, but a cover crop may provide short‐term benefits and reduce CLRDV incidence. Therefore, we examined three SDMs (Tillage, Pull, Mow) across two cover crop levels (no cover and rye [ Secale cereale L.]/clover [ Trifolium incarnatum L.] mixture) and two cotton varieties to determine how cotton growth, soil penetration resistance (PR), and two CLRDV incidence sample times (pre‐harvest and post‐harvest) were affected across six environments during the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons. None of the SDMs affected any factors examined in this experiment, except soil PR and cotton yield. The Pull and Mow SDMs both increased soil PR compared to the Tillage SDM. An 8% yield increase (Pull > Mow) was observed, but the Tillage SDM yield did not differ from Pull or Mow SDMs. The rye/clover mixture also increased soil PR. Although cotton stands were 15% greater with no cover crop, subsequent cotton yield and fiber quality were minimally affected by cover crops. The rye/clover mixture increased post‐harvest CLRDV incidence, and cotton yields were equal between cover crops. Pre‐harvest CLRDV incidence probability was 0.23, but post‐harvest CLRDV incidence probability was 0.71. Continuing to identify and evaluate cultural practices that reduce CLRDV incidence is imperative to prevent negative impacts.