Family Malvaceae 297 



a new species of Fusarium, technically named F. 

 malvacearum. The okra wilt is distinct and different 

 from the wilt of cowpea, cotton, or watermelon, all 

 of which are caused by distinct species of Fusaria. 

 A full description of the organism will soon appear 

 elsewhere. 



Control. The only remedy known for this disease 

 is crop rotation. Since okra wilt attacks only the 

 okra, any other truck crop may be used in the rota- 

 tion system. It is also probable that wilt may be 

 controlled by the development of resistant varieties. 



Root Rot, see Rhizoctonia, p. 45. 



Texas Root Rot 



Caused by Ozonium omnivorum Shear. 



Texas root rot is a disease which is perhaps of 

 equal importance with wilt. The disease is not found 

 on sandy soils, but on okra grown on the typical 

 waxy heavy lands such as are found in Texas. It 

 appears after a rain or after irrigation. 



Symptoms. The trouble does not appear until the 

 plants have begun to bloom. At this stage infected 

 plants suddenly wilt and the foliage drops off (fig. 

 54 a). On pulling out a diseased plant, we find that 

 the trouble is localized at the crown and root of the 

 plant. The infected surface is darkened, shrunken, 

 but softened, so that the epidermis may be easily 

 peeled off from the roots and crown of the plant. 

 Occasionally, the diseased parts are covered with 



