Adding to the problem is the fact that volunteer and ratoon cotton can appear symptomless, because there is a latent period from initial infection to the presence of visual symptoms. The best rule of thumb is to remove any weeds, volunteer and ratoon cotton from the farm over winter and to not leave it until after cotton planting. If left too late, growers run the risk of CBT carrying aphids leaving these host plants, resulting in sudden and widespread crop infestation and the risk of high yield loss.