Specialists Speaking
Firm Up Plans For 2022 Growing Season ALABAMA Steve M. Brown
tools to manage pests, fine-tuning irrigation scheduling, and using tools like Pipe Planner that can increase efficiency. Following end-of-season termination guidelines coupled with variety selection and appropriate planting dates to get a picker in the field by mid-September is another important consideration. This will help to hold onto yield and quality potential while meeting our harvest completion goal of Nov. 1. Contact your local county Extension agent to obtain information or to get assistance in improving efficiency and profitability. brobertson@ uada.edu
King Kong once dominated the landscape. Now there is no Kong. In the past, we have had extended periods in which one variety occupied large portions of the Cotton Belt. Similarly, smaller regions have been overwhelmingly committed to a single “star” variety. A review of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual Cotton Varieties Planted report indicates that not long ago, one variety covered 50% of the acreage in several states. And before that, another memorable variety was planted in more than 70% of fields for several years in significant parts of the Belt. That is not likely for 2022. Presently, there are no clear “Kongs” for most areas. The result is that many growers will plant multiple varieties on their farm this year, which is not a bad thing. Diversifying a variety portfolio is a classic risk minimization strategy. Most growers should consider planting the bulk of their crop with three to five different options and devoting a few acres (but not too many!) to the latest, newest offering(s) as a means of gaining experience with coming varieties. Deciding which varieties will make up your portfolio in 2022 requires study. Data from the Auburn University Variety Testing Program and onfarm trials are available at https://aaes.auburn.edu/variety-tests/. New to the site is the AU Variety Selection Platform, a database tool that allows a detailed exploration of yield results. It provides extensive information about each trial, including weather, management inputs, fiber quality, disease ratings, etc. The platform is a tool, one that takes time to figure out how to use proficiently. But time and effort will be rewarded with a wealth of information. Small plot, OVT tests measure agronomic potential in a uniform, (hopefully) well-managed environment usually involving several dozen entries. Large on-farm trials compare a handful of the current best offerings from seed companies in grower fields under common, real-world conditions. The two types of trials should complement each other. The obvious thing is to look for varieties that trend towards the top and avoid those that do the opposite. cottonbrown@auburn.edu
Last season suggested how resilient cotton can be. Like every year, favorable weather is often key to making a good crop. Despite early drought at planting, we still had enough moisture to establish good stands. But too much rain in the remainder of the growing season slowed management activities. Regardless, most growers were able to apply nitrogen and potassium in fields where needed and cotton grew well. Harvests were good. For this year, planting cotton into cover crops or into winter fallow can lead to timelier planting. Many of our growers use strip tillage, which helps conserve moisture. This is important because no more than 25% to 30% of our cotton is irrigated. If the spring is forecasted to be dry, consider killing cover crops early. Likewise, choose varieties based on yields from trials near your location. If you have fields with known nematode issues, look at varieties that have nematode resistance. Most of our growers do a good job managing weeds, even those pests that are hard to control. For fields that still have too many weeds, consult with county agents to develop a better strategy. This may include using other modes of action herbicides, high residue cover crops, directed sprays, etc. Nitrogen prices are causing all of us to look at ways to better utilize nutrients. Legume cover crops can help reduce nitrogen needs, but the available N depends on growth stage of the legume crop at termination and duration between termination and cotton planting. Finally, as always, growers have creative ideas that will get them through the season. wright@ufl.edu
ARKANSAS Bill Robertson
GEORGIA Camp Hand
Most of our county 2022 Extension cotton meetings will take place in February. Following guidelines for COVID to ensure safety of attendees and speakers is changing the look of some of our meetings but is not impacting the delivery of our information. Land grant universities will continue to fine-tune the process to deliver unbiased information to stakeholders. Producers must continue getting the most out of their inputs. Watch costs, yet provide necessary inputs to protect yield potential. Variety selection for yield and quality as well as desired technology traits is an important first step in establishing yield potential. There are several resources available to assist in selecting new varieties. A useful tool is the University Variety Testing Program. Results from the Arkansas trials conducted by Dr. Fred Bourland may be found at https://aaes.uark.edu/ variety-testing/. County demonstrations are another good source of information and are included with this data set. It is also appropriate to evaluate variety performance trials from neighboring states in the Mid-South. Other practices to protect yield potential and manage costs include matching nutrient applications to the crop requirements, utilizing IPM TWITTER: @COTTONFARMING
FLORIDA David Wright
Many people may not know this about me, but I am slightly musically inclined. When I was living in Auburn and working on my degrees, I played multiple instruments at the church I attended (Embrace Church). Not only did I do that, but throughout middle and high school I played the trumpet and French horn. Say what you will about “band nerds,” but at least it allowed me to travel throughout Europe with my friends performing in multiple countries. I digress, but why am I bringing this up? The topic of this month’s Specialists Speaking is “Fine-tuning plans for 2022.” Whether it was in high school band or playing electric bass at church, the first thing we always did before a performance was tune our instruments. If one instrument is out of tune in a band, you can pick it out. This is why tuning is important. How do we tune our instruments before the upcoming production season? One of the best ways to do this, in my opinion, is to look back at previous years. What has worked? What hasn’t? Where are the problem areas in the field, and what is causing those issues? Continued on page 20 FEBRUARY 2022 | COTTON FARMING
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