PICKING, DIGGING DELAYED

Wet Conditions Delayed Harvest In Virginia

Remaining Peanut Crop Fared Better an Cotton

Virginia’s cotton and peanut harvests lagged behind in early November due to a series of disruptive weather events. And the threat of additional rain further dampened farmers’ efforts to get in the field.

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service Nov. 9 crop report, Virginia’s cotton and peanut harvests were just 35% and 65% complete, respectively.

At that time last year, Virginia farmers had completed the peanut harvest and harvested 74% of the state’s cotton.

“Peanuts and cotton are both extremely late,” says Mike Parrish, a Virginia Cooperative Extension agent in Dinwiddie County.

“That was compounded by wet weather in the spring that pushed back the planting season, and dry weather in the summer that slowed growth. As we faced the challenges of more rainfall, farmers just weren’t able to get on the ground to harvest their crops.”

Cotton Quality A ected

Shelley Barlow, a Suffolk cotton grower, says she delayed the bulk of her harvest in hopes that a streak of beneficial weather would allow her slow-growing crop to mature. But as rain continued to threaten her cotton, she realized another pause in harvest was likely.

“We’ve been trying our best to wait until the cotton is at an optimal stage, but then you look at the calendar and realize you have to go whether it’s ready or not. Another rain event only slows us down from getting back into the field. It also diminishes the quality of the cotton.”

Barlow notes in mid-November that she had harvested 100 of her 400 cotton acres but said the quality “was probably the worst” she’s ever produced. The NASS report indicated 43% of Virginia’s cotton was in poor or worse condition.

Peanuts In Better Shape

Isle of Wight County farmer Steven Crocker says his peanut crop was about three weeks behind schedule due to wet conditions. With saturated soil and wet peanuts preventing farmers from running combines through their fields, harvest had been “a struggle for everybody,” he says.

While the quality of standing cotton was a concern, Virginia’s remaining peanut crop fared better despite late harvests. Fortyfive percent of the crop was in good condition, and 44% was in fair condition.

Parrish says that 10 days of dry weather preceding mid-November rain allowed farmers to make progress on each harvest. When another dry spell was forecasted, he anticipates that trend will continue.

“After this wet period comes through and the ground dries back out, we’ll finish up the bulk of these harvests,” Parrish says. “We’re just hoping everything stands up and will be able to be harvested.”

The Virginia Farm Bureau contributed this article.

TRAIT STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES NOTICE TO FARMERS Bayer Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Bayer products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Bayer’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba, glyphosate or glufosinate are approved for in-crop use with XtendFlex® Cotton. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with XtendFlex® Cotton. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your representative for the registration status in your state. Roundup Ready® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate. Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba. Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Contact your seed brand dealer or refer to the Bayer Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs. Insect control technology provided by Vip3A is utilized under license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. Bollgard®, Bollgard II®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design® and XtendFlex® are trademarks of Bayer Group. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® are registered trademarks of BASF. Agrisure Viptera® is a trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship. All other products, company names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Before opening a bag of seed, be sure to read, understand and accept the stewardship requirements, including applicable refuge requirements for insect resistance management, for the biotechnology traits expressed in the seed as set forth in the Bayer Technology/Stewardship Agreement that you sign. By opening and using a bag of seed, you are reaffirming your obligation to comply with the most recent stewardship requirements.

LSU AgCenter Names Interim Specialist

Plant pathologist Paul “Trey” Price, an assistant professor based at the Macon Ridge Research Station in Winnsboro, Louisiana, is serving as the LSU AgCenter’s interim cotton, corn and grain sorghum specialist.

Price says he often finds inspiration during his farm visits.

“It’s really good fuel for imagination and research ideas if you go on farms and you see what’s happening in the real world and you see what’s happening outside,” he says. “I really like to focus on things that we can apply to growers and their program that keeps them in business, that’ll solve their problems.

“If I can save a grower a dollar by coming up with a solution, our program has paid for itself. If we could save a dollar an acre across the state of an input cost, just think — just add that up.”

Contact Price at PPrice@agcenter.lsu. edu or 308-235-9805.

Precision Seed Placement Technology Now Available

Precision Planting LLC has introduced two seed placement optimization technologies. They provide growers with greater seed placement precision, improved crop emergence and stand uniformity, and increased yield potential — all from the comfort of their tractor cab.

The SmartDepth technology uses a proprietary calibration process to ensure every row unit is planting at the same depth, removing row-to-row variability, according to a news release. The technology also saves farmers time when they change depth settings on the planter. In addition, they can adjust depth more often, in 0.1-inch increments, by simply pushing a button on their Precision Planting 20|20 in-cab display.

A number of field-level factors account for determining optimal seed planting depth, including soil type, moisture levels and future weather forecast. The true planting depth of each row unit can often vary, even with the same depth setting across the planter. Research conducted by Precision Planting reveals that row unit variations can be 0.5 inch or more across planters, based on block checks.

SmartDepth can be paired with Precision Planting’s SmartFirmer, a seed firmer sensor that measures how much moisture is available for seed uptake.

Both technologies are available to farmers through Precision Planting premier dealers and require a Precision Planting 20|20 monitor and integration to operate across any planter equipment. The SmartDepth technology is available to farmers on a limited basis for the 2021 planting season.

Visit precisionplanting.com for more information.

Mississippi State Scientist Receives International Honor

Raja Reddy, a world-renowned crop expert with Mississippi State University, was recognized with a premier, international award for cotton science.

Naming Reddy Researcher of the Year by the International Cotton Advisory Committee, spotlights his work to improve the quality of crops that feed, clothe and fuel the world.

Specifically, he focuses on climate change impact on cotton and other crop physiology, growth and development.

An MSU professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Reddy also directs the university’s Soil-PlantAtmosphere-Research unit, or SPAR. He is a scientist in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.

Reddy recently presented a virtual lecture on cotton and climate change as part of the World Cotton Research Conference’s plenary monthly lecture series, which is sponsored in part by ICAC.

Improvements In Texas Cotton Nutrition

Researchers Explore Potential For Optimizing Application Timing And Plant Growth

The past 30 years have seen tremendous technological and biological advancements in cotton. This progress has resulted in growing yields each year — depending on the weather — that has help boost the industry worldwide.

The development of herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant cotton cultivars through breeding has brought about not only increased yield but better management practices by farmers. These enhancements have shifted the focus from treating for pests to improving irrigation efficiency and maximizing lint quality.

Updated Literature Needed

One area that hasn’t changed, however, is the understanding of how cotton absorbs nutrients, with producers still using the same methods that have been in place for decades. But a group of Texas Tech and Texas A&M researchers is hoping to change that.

“As a new assistant professor, I began reviewing literature related to cotton nutrient requirements and noticed that it was extremely outdated,” says Katie Lewis, an associate professor of

“Early in the season, cotton plants put most of the carbohydrates they produce through photosynthesis — and most of the nutrients they take up through soil water — into the roots, stems and leaves,” says Texas Tech’s Glen Ritchie. soil chemistry and fertility in Texas Tech’s Department of Plant and Soil Science with a joint appointment with Texas A&M AgriLife Research.

“I realized at this point (updating literature) was something I wanted to do because of the potential impact it could have on the cotton industry and more specifically farmers.”

Lewis’s work was recently published in the paper, “Dry Matter and Nutrient Partitioning for the Past 30 Years of Cotton Production.” Co-authors included Irish Lorraine Pabuayon, graduate student and Plant and Soil Science chair; and Glen Ritchie, chair of Texas Tech’s Department of Plant and Soil Science.

Nutrient Uptake Timing

The results suggest current cotton fertility can be underestimated in regard to nutrient intake during the middle and latter part of the growing season, as well as laying out the potential for optimizing nutrient application to optimize growth.

“Based on the results from the research, application rates of most nutrients can be reduced and can be applied later into the

season,” Lewis says.

Pabuayon says, “The application of fertilizers based on updat- tions were followed by subsequent drought and high temperaed recommendation rates and timings that match the crop’s tures during the middle of the growing season. nutrient demand across the growing season can improve yield This caused stress on the plants at the beginning of the reprooutput as well as nutrient use and cost efficiencies.” ductive season and led to more favorable growing conditions at

Lewis estimates the average lint yield of cotton produced in critical stages of development in 2018 than in 2019. the United States is 1.5 times better than it was 30 years ago. As a result, the more modern cultivars tested in this research Most of that is due to improvements in irrigation and weed and were able to partition (divide) a greater percentage of dry matter pest control. (yield without water content), nitrogen, phosphorus and potassi-

Ritchie adds that the number of acres where the most effi- um into the fruit than older cultivars, which emphasized the need cient irrigation methods are implemented increases each year, for partitioning to increase cultivar production potential. and producers are using fewer inputs. There also was an increase in the amount of sulfur partiLag In Nutritional Information growth and improving lint yield due to its role in protein,

But because of time, labor and cost restraints, updating nutri- enzyme and chlorophyll synthesis. ent requirements and fertility management has not kept up with The uptake and partitioning of magnesium and calcium were other production improvements. Most common is nutrient similar to the levels seen in the 1990s. intake and partitioning.

The most customary nutrients applied to cotton include The Nutrient Index nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium and “With greater yield potential, plants require greater nutrients,” sulfur. Plants take these nutrients in through the roots. Then Lewis says. “However, because plants have been bred to be more they are partitioned, or distributed, to different parts of the efficient, they require lesser amounts of nutrients per pound of plant, such as vegetative and reproductive structures. yield produced. This is referred to as the nutrient index.”

“Early in the season, cotton plants put most of the carbohy- Because modern cultivars are more efficient in the uptake and drates they produce through photosynthesis — and most of partitioning of nutrients, they are able to retain more fruit earlier the nutrients they take up through soil water — into the roots, in the growing season, resulting in more fruit and fewer stems and stems and leaves,” Ritchie says. leaves. Management practices can now

“As the plants begin to produce be adjusted to further increase fruit fruit, they compartmentalize more and more of these carbohydrates and nutrients into the developing bolls. This could potentially be a major breakthrough for the production since plants can produce more with less nutrient application. “The improvements made in the The plant even begins to break down chemicals and tissues in other parts cotton farming industry. areas of genetics and management technologies led to the development of the plant to provide materials to of newer cultivars that shift their make the fruit. As a result, the plant resource allocation priorities such funnels every possible bit of energy and nutrients into the fruit.” that allocation of each essential element to the fruit is favored at

Based on the research results, application rates of most nutri- the expense of more leaves and stems,” Pabuayon says. ents can be reduced and can be applied later into the season. “The application of fertilizers based on updated recommen2018-19 Studies Conducted across the growing season can improve yield output as well as

For this study, researchers chose typically planted cotton nutrient use and cost efficiencies.” varieties from Paymaster, Deltapine and FiberMax representing This could potentially be a major breakthrough for the cotton various time periods from the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. They farming industry, allowing farmers to produce higher yields with planted all three varieties during 2018 and 2019. less or more targeted treatments, thus reducing costs. Pabuayon

Paymaster HS26 was released in 1995, FiberMax 98 was says that as soon as a functioning fertilizer recommendation plan released in 2000 and Deltapine 1646 was released in 2016. All is established based on these findings, producers can use it for produce high-yielding, high-quality cotton cultivars compa- existing and future production systems. rable to those from other seed companies but with different growth habits. Plans For The Future

During each year, the plots planted on roughly 2.5 acres at Lewis says she plans to conduct a similar study every 10-15 the Texas Tech Research Farm were fertilized with: years so the literature and knowledge in this area continues to  97 pounds of ammonium nitrate (nitrogen). be evaluated and distributed to producers. She also wants to  ~199 pounds of phosphorous pentoxide (phosphorus). evaluate fertilizer application rates and timings based on these  66 pounds of potassium oxide (potassium). results to ensure improved use efficiency.

In both years, the potassium and phosphorus were applied “Future directions can focus on expanding the reach of this prior to planting. The nitrogen was applied 40% before plant- study to other locations outside the region and to crops other ing and 60% after planting in both years with varying times of than cotton,” Pabuayon says. application prior to planting. Soil samples were collected 30 “Information about the actual fertilizer rates and timings that days prior to planting both years. are being adopted by producers throughout the state can be colModern And Older Cultivars the updated recommendation to be as site-specific as possible.”

In terms of precipitation, more was received in 2019 than in

tioned to the leaves, potentially contributing to sustained plant dation rates and timings that match the crop’s nutrient demand lected and used by researchers and Extension specialists to tailor 2018 due to several rains occurring after planting. These condi- Texas Tech University contributed this article.