Plants can utilise an array of biochemical mechanisms to protect themselves against viral, bacterial, fungal and nematode pathogens. Systemic induced resistance can be achieved by using an activator, either an organism or a chemical, at the early stage of a crop. The activator 'switches on' the host plant's defence mechanisms. There are few reports of induced resistance against soil born and vascular pathogens. A significant reduction in the severity verticillium wilt in cotton disease was observed under field conditions after the use of isonicotinic acid (Colson-Hanks and Devera11, 2000). Application of the Novartis product Bion 50WG (a. I. bellzothiadiazole 50%) to grapevines resulted in a reduced the incidence of root knot nematodes. The rate of maturity of nematodes and egg production appearing to reduced (Owen et al 1999). Colonisation of roots by mycorrhizal fungi (VAM) may also induce systemic resistance in plants and protect them from pathogens (Dassi et al 1998). Rotation with non-host crops (eg. cereals) does not prevent the build-up of spores of T basicola in the soil with each cotton crop (see paper by Nehl et al this proceedings). Rotation with susceptible hosts, such as certain legumes, may add to the build-up of spores in cotton fields. Hence, the increasing interest in rotation with legumes presents a challenge to management of black root rot in cotton farming systems. In this paper we examine the potential for induced resistance to decrease the severity of black root rot in both cotton and legumes.