PhytoGen ® cottonseed is designed with elite genetics and fortified with tough traits to deliver consistently high yield and high-quality cotton fiber potential — all backed by local agronomic support. Visit PhytoGen.com/Yield to break through.
6 WATER CAPTURE AND REUSE
Daniel Radford, e Cotton Board Southeast regional communications manager, discusses the impacts of water capture and reuse for cotton irrigation.
13 SHORT-SEASON STRATEGY
Even at the northern margins of the Cotton Belt, there is su cient time to consistently produce yields in excess of three bales per acre or greater.
20 GINNERS MARKETPLACE
the official publication of the ginning industry e Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association will host its 117th Gin Show — Turning Cotton Great Again — April 3-4 at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center.
Across the Cotton Belt, drones are stepping up their game in agriculture. For example, with direction from Texas A&M AgriLife, farmers are using digital-twin technology to harness artificial intelligence to interpret data to predict real-world crop production scenarios. Also, Mississippi State University is conducting unmanned aerial vehicle research with the largest U.S.-manufactured ag drone fleet in the country.
Editor’s Note
Carroll Smith
Flash From The Past Still Pertinent Today
At times, when our senses are heightened, we have a strong feeling we have experienced something before. It’s not exactly déjà vu because déjà vu has been described as an uncanny feeling that something is familiar when it’s not. But what if it is?
For example, the uncertainty that exists in the agricultural world today appears to mirror the uncertainty surrounding agriculture in 2015.
John Johnson, former director of public and legislative affairs, Plains Cotton Cooperative Association, made the following remarks almost 10 years ago in an article titled “Outlook for 2015 Uncertain.”
He said, “Cotton prices as measured by the December futures contract have fallen more than 20 cents per pound since the 2014 U.S. crop was planted. ... As the 2014 U.S. cotton harvest was drawing to a close, attention was turning to the complex 2015 global planting outlook. According to an economic analysis from Cotton Incorporated, declining prices for commodities that can compete with cotton for planted acres could temper the ‘likelihood of an exodus from cotton’ when planting season arrives. However, lower cotton prices could result in fewer cotton acres in certain cotton producing countries. … There are a number of questions for the cotton market and cotton producers to ponder.”
On the heels of the National Cotton Council’s recent 2025 Annual Meeting, NCC President and CEO Gary Adams, said, “As the 2025 season approaches, growers are confronted with tough planting decisions. Current prices remain below production costs for many crops, which adds to the financial strain on farmers. Additionally, potential changes in trade policy have created significant uncertainty in the world cotton market.” See the rest of Adams’ remarks in Cotton’s Agenda on page 5.
According to an article in Southern Ag Today, in the same time frame from a decade ago, Extension specialists across the Southeast came together to address the decline in the farm economy, specifically declining commodity prices and increasing financial pressure. Their efforts culminated in a publication titled Surviving the Farm Economy Downturn that was released in 2017 (rb. gy/8h64ws). “While the publication is approaching 10 years old, the core management strategies and concepts are still pertinent as we face a very similar farm economy today,” said Southern Ag Today contributors Jordan Shockley, University of Kentucky, and Steven Klose, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. No one will dispute the notion that times are tough in the ag world right now. However, the cotton industry still stands strong and will not stand down. And that is something we can count on — today and for years down the road.
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Cotton’s Agenda
Gary Adams
Cotton Challenges And Changes
The 2025 World Cotton Outlook highlights ongoing economic pressures and trade uncertainties, projecting a decrease in U.S. cotton acreage and harvested area, while anticipating modest growth in world cotton consumption and trade.
What were the main challenges for the U.S. cotton industry in 2024?
■ The U.S. cotton industry faced several significant challenges in 2024, including low prices, high production costs, and weak demand. These factors combined to make 2024 another difficult year for cotton growers. The economic pressures forced many growers to reconsider their planting decisions and strategies for the upcoming season.
What factors are influencing the planting decisions for the 2025 season?
In mid-February, NCC economists presented a 2025 economic forecast to the delegates at the organization’s annual meeting.
■ As the 2025 season approaches, growers are confronted with tough planting decisions. Current prices remain below production costs for many crops, which adds to the financial strain on farmers. Additionally, potential changes in trade policy have created significant uncertainty in the world cotton market. This uncertainty makes it challenging for growers to plan effectively. The National Cotton Council (NCC) projects that U.S. cotton acreage for 2025 will be 9.6 million acres, a 14.5 percent decrease from 2024. This reduction reflects the economic difficulties faced by U.S. cotton growers, who are now in their third year of unfavorable market returns and an inadequate farm safety net.
What are the projections for the Cotton Belt harvested area, U.S. cotton crop, and U.S. textile manufacturing in 2025?
■ The Cotton Belt’s harvested area for 2025 is estimated at 7.8 million acres, with an abandonment rate of 18.4 percent in the U.S. Based on the fiveyear average yield for each state, the projected cotton crop is 13.9 million bales, including 13.5 million upland bales and 392,000 ELS bales. U.S. mills are expected to consume 1.73 million bales in the 2025/26 marketing year, up from 1.70 million bales in 2024/25. However, U.S. textile manufacturing continues to face challenges due to weaker trade within the Western Hemisphere, partly because of the increased textile imports under de minimis provisions.
How is the world cotton market expected to perform in the 2025/26 marketing year?
■ World consumption is projected to increase by 1.7% to 117.9 million bales in the 2025/26 marketing year. This increase in consumption, along with a larger U.S. supply, results in a higher U.S. export projection compared to 2024/25. Despite the higher export projection, U.S. ending stocks are expected to rise to 5.2 million bales in 2025/26. World production is estimated to decline to 117.2 million bales due to a slight reduction in harvested acreage and lower yields. With expanded consumption in key importing countries, world trade is projected to increase to 44.2 million bales in 2025/26. The combination of higher world consumption and trade, along with lower production, is expected to result in a decline in ending stocks to 77.7 million bales.
No matter how the market evolves, the NCC will persistently advocate for effective agricultural policies, programs, and trade agreements, while challenging impractical regulations to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. cotton industry members in the global market.
Additional details of the 2025 Cotton Economic Outlook are on the NCC’s website at http://www. cotton.org/econ/reports/annual-outlook.cfm.
Gary Adams is president/chief executive officer of the National Cotton Council of America.
On-Farm Water Capture And Reuse
Given the variability of weather conditions that impact the Southeast throughout the year, researchers at North Carolina State University have been studying the impacts of water capture and reuse for irrigation for cotton production throughout the region.
With funding from Cotton Incorporated, Dr. Mohamed Youssef, Professor of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at NCSU, and his team were able to investigate crop yield and improvements to water quality of on-farm water capture and use.
The initial research was conducted at the Peanut Belt Research Station in Bertie County, North Carolina. The data collected was used to obtain a three-year Federal Conservation Innovation Grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The study was conducted from 2022 until 2024. The research findings and implications from this project could be applicable to cotton producers across the Southeast.
How WCR Systems Work
Before diving into the research, I thought it would be beneficial to describe a typical on-farm water capture and reuse system. A WCR system captures and stores surface runoff water and subsurface drainage water in on-farm ponds or reservoirs during wet periods of the year. It is then used for supplemental irrigation during dry periods of the crop growing season.
These types of systems can vary in size and layout, based on your operation. They typically include an irrigation system, drainage area and an on-farm pond or reservoir.
Three-year Study Results
Cotton yield data were measured as part of this study over the three-year period. Each of the three growing seasons were distinct: one with near optimal rainfall (2022); one with very dry conditions (2023); and one with a very wet spell during the second half of July (2024).
The water-related conditions were clearly reflected in the cotton yield response. The 2022 season had near ideal rainfall conditions in July and August. Both irrigated and non-irrigated fields had relatively high lint yield with no need for additional irrigation.
During the 2023 season, severe dry conditions occurred during July 1 and August 15. The research demonstrated that supplemental irrigation was extremely effective in alleviating stresses due to dry conditions, resulting in a substantial increase in lint and seed yields. The 2023 season illustrated the value irrigation can bring as irrigation increased yield by over 600 pounds that season.
The third season in the study, 2024, was characterized by wet conditions between mid-July and mid-August, which hurt
By funding research that explores practices like on-farm water capture and reuse, Cotton Incorporated empowers producers to adapt to increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.
the plant during flowering and boll formation phases. This depressed the yield for both irrigated and non-irrigated fields. In 2024, supplemental irrigation was not needed.
Yield And Water Quality
Water quality benefits of on-farm WCR were also experimentally investigated at two research sites with water storage ponds of different sizes.
The data shows that water storage ponds are effective in treating agricultural runoff and reducing the nutrients and sediment that are leaving the farm and reaching the receiving surface water bodies.
It was found that the treatment efficiency depends on the average length of time the captured water stays in the pond before it is discharged to downstream water.
“This study has done an excellent job illustrating the benefits of on-farm water storage with improvements in yield and water quality leaving the pond,” said Dr. Youssef. “I expect the effect of supplemental irrigation to vary from year-to-year depending on weather conditions related to precipitation and temperature.
“It is important to remember that implementing these practices can be beneficial to growers but during some years, they may not increase yield at all in North Carolina.”
Further Benefits
By funding research that explores practices like on-farm water capture and reuse, Cotton Incorporated empowers producers to adapt to increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. This research not only demonstrates the potential for improving yields through supplemental irrigation but also highlights the broader environmental benefits, such as enhanced water quality and flood mitigation.
These insights are invaluable in equipping growers with tools to navigate challenges while ensuring the long-term sustainability of cotton farming in the Southeast.
Funded by America’s cotton producers and importers through checkoff dollars collected by The Cotton Board, the Cotton Research and Promotion Program’s research and promotion activities are conducted by its contractor Cotton Incorporated, with the purpose to increase the demand for and improve the market position of cotton.
Daniel Radford is The Cotton Board Southeast regional communications manager. (dradford@cottonboard.org).
BY DANIEL RADFORD NAHUNTA, NORTH CAROLINA
A NEW FRONTIER
Drones Step Up eir Game In Agriculture
With direction from Texas A&M AgriLife Research, crop farmers are using remote sensing, big data and arti cial intelligence to simulate and predict real-world crop production scenarios.
Digital-Twin Technology Harnesses AI To Interpret Data, Remove Guesswork
Crop farmers in South Texas are witnessing the future of agriculture unfold with the advent of digital-twin technology. Spearheaded by Texas A&M AgriLife Research, this cutting-edge approach combines remote sensing, big data and artificial intelligence to simulate and predict real-world crop production scenarios.
Juan Landivar, Ph.D., director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Corpus Christi, leads a multidisciplinary team of experts, including agronomists, computer engineers, electrical engineers and civil engineers.
He recently shared their findings at the Texas Plant Protection Association Conference, emphasizing this technology’s transformative potential. Their methods and results have been published in the peer-reviewed journal Computers and Electronics in Agriculture
The Birth Of An Idea
The concept of digital-twin technology in agriculture emerged from a conversation six years ago between Landivar and his then-colleague Jinha Jung, Ph.D., now an associate professor at Purdue University.
“We were returning from a meeting when the idea clicked,” Landivar recalled. “I couldn’t sleep that night. By 3 a.m., I was
texting Jinha, realizing the vast opportunities this technology could unlock for agriculture.”
This sparked a series of trials on a 200-acre farm in South Texas, cultivating cotton and sorghum, which have showcased the technology’s promise. Using drones, the team gathered over 250,000 data points in a single season, measuring canopy cover, plant height and vegetation indices via normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI.
The challenge then became how to interpret this massive data trove.
Power Of AI
“That’s where our AI-powered, web-based modeling comes in,” Landivar said. “It translates complex datasets into actionable insights for farmers, helping with decisions on yield prediction, biomass estimation, crop termination and irrigation scheduling.”
One notable success involved advising a farmer to prepare for harvest earlier than expected. In the 2024 cotton crop, AI modeling accurately predicted optimal harvest preparation as early as June 18.
“The farmer said ‘no way. I usually defoliate in July,’” Landivar recalled, “but field observations on June 24 confirmed the model’s accuracy.”
MICHAEL
Multidisciplinary Research Team:
• Juan Landivar, Ph.D., director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Corpus Christi.
Jinha Jung , Ph.D., Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering, Purdue University.
Pankaj Pal , Ph.D., research associate; Jose Landivar-Scott, engineer/ programmer and senior research associate; Lei Zhao, Ph.D., AgriLife Research graduate assistant; Mahendra Bhandari, Ph.D., AgriLife Research remote-sensing crop physiologist and assistant professor, all at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Research Center, Corpus Christi.
• Nick Duffield , Ph.D., professor and director Texas A&M Institute of Data Science, and Kevin Nowka, Ph.D., professor of practice-electrical and computer engineering, both with the Texas A&M Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
• Anjin Chang , Ph.D., research associate professor, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tennessee State University.
Kiju Lee , Ph.D., associate professor, Texas A&M Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution and Mechanical Engineering.
“Somewhere along there, they had several inches of rain and delayed defoliation,” he said. “But while waiting for the soil to dry, heavy rains from an approaching hurricane came through and dropped another 4 inches. Harvest wasn’t until late July, losing quality and about $70 per acre in potential profit.”
Benefits For Farmers
Digital-twin technology is ushering in an era of prescriptive agriculture, where decisions are data-driven rather than guesswork. For instance, early yield forecasts — available six to eight weeks before harvest — can aid financial planning and market strategies.
“This precision saves costs and maximizes harvest potential,” Landivar said. “It also supports sustainability goals, like estimating biomass for carbon credit markets.”
Looking Ahead
The affordability of advanced tools like multispectral cameras has accelerated data collection and analysis, making technologies that once seemed out of reach more accessible.
“We’ve come a long way,” Landivar said. “What used to be a luxury is now a necessity for modern farming.”
As this technology evolves, it holds immense promise for agriculture worldwide, Landivar said. By empowering farmers with real-time insights and predictive analytics, digital twins are not just recreating crops — they are reshaping the future of farming.
— Blair Fannin, Texas A&M AgriLife
CMSU Studies UAVs’ Usefulness As Crop Dusters
rop dusters are a familiar sight in the skies over agricultural regions, but much smaller versions, unmanned aerial vehicles, are joining them.
Unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, are commonly called drones. Unmanned aerial systems, known as UAS, include the vehicle itself, payload, operator and control modules.
Mississippi State University is a leader in this new frontier through a variety of UAS research efforts and national designations. Madison Dixon, associate director of research at the MSU Agricultural Autonomy Institute, said the university has the largest U.S.-manufactured ag drone fleet in the country.
“With this fleet, we will be performing research flights, testing numerous variables and aiming to provide valuable data and insights to farmers,” Dixon said at a December presentation at the MSU Extension Row Crop Short Course. “We will test application efficacy of both liquid and dry agricultural products and will find ways to mitigate off-target drift.”
Validating Specifications
Ag drones today have been equipped with tanks and nozzles to spray crops with water-based solutions as well as hoppers and spreaders for dispersing dry material. To date, applications include cover crop seeding; weed, insect and disease control; as well as crop imaging when combined with cameras and sensors.
Dixon said MSU is focused only on U.S.-made spray drones, as certain foreign manufactured drones are at risk of being grounded due to cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
“One of the things we’re doing is validating aircraft specifications and real-world operational performance,” Dixon said. “If the drone is advertised to fly for 20 minutes per flight but it only flies for 10 minutes in moderate wind conditions, that is a huge difference. So, we’re testing to determine how they truly perform in real-world use.”
MSU currently is working with a Hylio AG-272 UAS that has an 18-gallon payload capacity and weighs up to 400 pounds at takeoff. The Federal Aviation Administration has already approved even larger unmanned aircrafts with some weighing over 1,100 pounds.
“There is an urgent need for UAS applicator training and certification, as well as low-altitude airspace deconfliction,” Dixon said. “We have to make sure these spray drones do not end up in the same locations and altitudes at the same time as our traditional ag aviators.”
“You can use an aircraft to spray the big, broad areas and use a drone for the edges and the dangerous areas,” said Daniel Martin, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
UAVs are being equipped for agricultural tasks including weed, insect and disease control; cover crop seeding; and crop imaging. This drone was flown Aug. 6, 2024, on Mississippi State University’s North Farm.
Auburn University Review
MSU is not the only university addressing the need for research and support of UAS in agriculture. Steve Li from Auburn University presented data at the Row Crop Short Course on his field evaluations of spray drones.
“Be aware of the labor requirement and how tedious and hot it is,” Li said. “It takes a lot of time to fold and unfold these UAVs for use, and we found we are doing tank refills and swapping batteries every five minutes. It is physically challenging to do this is the summertime in a field.”
Li has been looking at pre-planting burndown of weeds with a drone and found they can perform this task very well under optimal weather conditions.
“If you map and plan flight routes well, you can do a very good job with very clean, sharp edges,” he said.
A Complement To Aircraft
Daniel Martin of the U.S. Department of Agriculture called spray drones an emerging technology that offers one more tool for the toolbox.
“About 98% of drone use in agriculture to date has applications in remote sensing,” Martin said.
Although they are being studied more for their ability to carry a payload for delivery over a crop, the first challenge is weight. A large UAV may be able to carry 25 gallons of liquid.
“Commercial manned aviation holds up to 800 to 1,000 gallons of liquid,” Martin said. “A drone may have 10 minutes of battery time, and they fly a 20 to 25-foot swath compared to 80 feet for airplanes.”
Martin said in his work, a typical small UAV can cover a little over half an acre per minute and only about 6 acres per battery set.
“With a 12-minute turnaround, that means we can cover about 30 acres an hour,” he said.
While that cannot compete with traditional aerial applications by airplane or helicopter, UAVs can tremendously complement aircraft in spot spraying. This includes specific areas within a field as well as crop edges and near overhead power lines and other obstructions.
“You can use an aircraft to spray the big, broad areas and use a drone for the edges and the dangerous areas,” Martin said. “They can be used on small farms and vineyards.”
Fine-Tuning Labels
Choosing the right nozzle for the application is vital. Studies have shown that coarse spray drifts the least, but finer sprays may be needed for certain applications.
“We’ve looked at where the nozzles were placed on the drone itself and found a lot of variability,” Martin said. “Pattern test your aircraft before use and understand the limitations of the system.”
UAV-application of farm chemicals is new enough that the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, and most states are currently allowing a drone to apply a product that is labeled for aerial use. Martin said chemical manufacturers are working with the EPA to ensure the labels are appropriate for these applications.
MSU’s drone fleet also supports a larger vision for a future MSU-led UAS aerial application training program.
“Delta State University is training traditional ag pilots, and MSU can really complement that by filling the tremendous need to train UAS applicators,” Dixon said.
— Bonnie Coblentz, MSU Extension Service
KEVIN
SHIELD YOUR YIELD POTENTIAL.
’Round here, maximizing performance starts with safeguarding against pests. Locally evaluated Deltapine® brand Bollgard® 3 ThryvOn® cotton with XtendFlex® Technology varieties offer innovative, built-in defense from key tarnished plant bugs and thrips species. It also provides increased flexibility in herbicide applications throughout the season. Thrive where you grow by protecting your yield potential. FIND THE VARIETIES FOR YOUR AREA. DELTAPINE.COM/SHIELDYOURYIELD
IMPORTANT NOTICE: No dicamba herbicide has been approved for use in-crop with this seed technology at the time this notice was printed. No dicamba herbicide may be used in-crop with this seed unless and until such use is approved or specifically permitted. For current approval statuses for in-crop dicamba use with this seed, scan the below QR code, call 1-844-RRXTEND or 1-866-99-BAYER, or contact the U.S. EPA or your state pesticide regulatory agency. Plants that are not tolerant to dicamba may be damaged or killed if exposed to dicamba herbicides.
Bayer 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. Commercialized products have 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 applicable regulatory requirements have been met. 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. 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 products with XtendFlex® Technology. 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 products with XtendFlex® Technology. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your seed brand representative for the registration status in your state. Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba. Plants that are not tolerant to glyphosate, dicamba, and/or glufosinate may be damaged or killed if exposed to those herbicides. 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®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup®, ThryvOn® and XtendFlex® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group. 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.
Economic Assistance Payment For
Row Crop Producers
Financial difficulties faced by U.S. agricultural crop producers in 2024 created an urgent need for financial support. Articles in Southern Ag Today have highlighted some of the challenges facing peanut and cotton producers in the South, although farm financial challenges are not unique to this region.
Farmers across the country are dealing with lower commodity prices, elevated input costs and higher interest rates. Together, these have exerted significant financial strain on agricultural producers and the rural economy.
Government safety net programs through the Farm Bill aim to alleviate financial burdens and ensure income stability for farmers. Programs such as the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) have previously provided revenue and price support to farmers in times of low revenue or low prices. However, the delay in the passage of an on-time Farm Bill has left the current safety net lacking to provide the support necessary for farmers to navigate the current farm economy.
As a result, Congress passed a onetime economic assistance payment for producers of eligible commodities in the 2024 crop year, with an allocated budget of $10 billion. Eligible commodities are crops covered by Title I of the Farm Bill. The legislation was signed by President Joe Biden Dec. 21, 2024. Producers are expected to receive payment before the end of the first quarter of 2025.
Ben McKnight Named Cotton Specialist Of The Year
“Dr. McKnight is a valued resource to cotton growers in Texas and beyond,” said Larry Redmon, Ph.D., associate department head and AgriLife Extension program leader for the department.
“He provides leadership and coordination to the AgriLife Extension programs relevant to cotton production, thus helping improve cotton’s added value and impact on agriculture and the life sciences.”
McKnight has been the statewide cotton specialist since 2020, when he joined the department. Previously, he worked for both Texas A&M AgriLife Research and AgriLife Extension while earning degrees at Texas A&M before working as a weed scientist with Louisiana State University, where he earned his doctorate.
McKnight leads grower meetings, field days, crop tours and training sessions for producers, AgriLife Extension agents and allied industry partners. Additionally, he conducts and translates cotton research addressing region-specific challenges, ensuring findings are translated into actionable resources for producers.
McKnight also advises state-level commodity organizations and collaborates with national producer groups while mentoring undergraduate and graduate students who are poised to become the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Soil Fertility Training Set For March 11 in Marianna, Arkansas
Do not open a bag of seed until you read, understand and accept the stewardship requirements for the biotechnology traits expressed in this seed as set forth in the Bayer Technology Stewardship Agreement (“TSA”) that you sign. By opening and using this bag of seed, you are reaffirming your obligation to comply with the most recent regulatory and stewardship requirements.
Ben McKnight, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service statewide cotton specialist and assistant professor in the Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, has been recognized as the Beltwide Extension Cotton Specialist of the Year by the university Extension cotton specialists.
This award was presented during the Beltwide Cotton Conferences hosted by the National Cotton Council. The Cotton Specialist of the Year acknowledges leadership, dedication and exceptional service in developing and conducting educational programs to meet the needs of cotton producers and the U.S. cotton industry.
Registration is open for a March 11 soil fertility workshop facilitated by Trent Roberts, professor of soil fertility, soil testing; and Bronc Finch, assistant professor and Extension soil fertility specialist; and Chandler Arel, Extension crop, soils and environmental sciences, all of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
The event will be held at the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station, 3121 Highway 1 South, Marianna, and opens with on-site check-in at 8 a.m. Lunch will be provided to participants who register by March 4. Participants may register at rb.gy/jtvb7d. The event will include sessions on:
■ Plant essential nutrients.
■ Soil basics.
■ Soil and water conservation.
■ Soil testing philosophy/interpretation.
Ben McKnight
Management Strategy For Short-Season Timeliness
BY KEITH EDMISTEN AND GUY COLLINS COTTON EXTENSION SPECIALISTS — CROP AND SOIL SCIENCES NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
The key to successful cotton production in North Carolina is the adoption of a short-season management strategy. Cotton growers may equate short-season management strategy with the recently overworked “earliness” philosophy.
While earliness is a worthwhile goal in principle, particularly within a short-season management system, earliness alone may lead producers to adopt practices that unnecessarily limit yield and profit.
Even at the northern margins of the Cotton Belt, there is sufficient time to consistently produce yields in excess of three bales per acre or greater. “Timeliness” is the key component of a management strategy that is fluid enough to accomplish this yield level.
Earliness and timeliness frequently mean the same thing in North Carolina, although not always. There are few production practices that do not require some season-to-season and within-season modification to improve their effectiveness within a production system. For example, nitrogen fertilization must be adjusted for residue left by the preceding crop, as well as for the unique characteristics of the current soil and environment.
Variety selection depends on soil type, planting date and harvest scheduling, as well as yield and quality potential. The earliest variety may or may not be appropriate in a specific field. Plant growth regulators help a producer achieve earlier harvest,
Once a stand is established, vegetative growth should be promoted through the judicious use of cultivation, fertilizers and agrichemicals.
but sometimes that earlier harvest is not possible due to time constraints, picker availability or harvest schedule.
The key to successful cotton management is adapting the strategy to the specific situation. There are five specific goals important to producing a profitable crop in a short season production system:
Maximize Early Season Growth
Cotton farmers and researchers alike recognize the yield benefits that result from rapid early season development. Strong emergence of healthy seedlings that establish a uniform stand is the foundation enabling maximum early season growth. Once a stand is established, vegetative growth should be promoted through the judicious use of cultivation, fertilizers and agrichemicals.
Stimulate Early Flowering
Early flowering follows maximum early season growth. Commercially desirable varieties raised in North Carolina normally produce their first fruiting branch when the plants have between five and seven true leaves. A fruiting branch produces squares, or flower buds, that may become harvestable bolls. Flowering is delayed when physiological, chemical or insect-related stress retards square formation or causes square abscission (shedding).
Fortunately, with the availability of mepiquat chloride, the judicious use of nitrogen and timely insect control, we can largely avoid rank growth.
Examine cotton plants with five to seven true leaves and note whether small squares, sometimes referred to as pinhead or match-head squares, are present on the plant. If they are, then your cotton is developing properly. If they are not, then you may need to alter your management plans to increase square formation and retention.
This situation may require you to apply Pix to reduce the likelihood of rank growth, delay nitrogen side-dressing, increase insect scouting and treatments to avoid further loss and avoid over-the-top treatments with injurious herbicides.
Prevent Rank Growth
Excessive vegetative or rank growth has historically been a common problem for cotton farmers, particularly in a rain belt like North Carolina. Problems associated with rank growth include (1) delayed maturity; (2) increased insect damage; (3) increased boll rot; (4) more difficult defoliation; and (5) decreased harvest efficiency. The indeterminate, perennial growth habit of cotton is partially responsible for this undesirable trait.
Unlike determinate, annual crops such as corn and small grains, cotton will support vegetative and reproductive growth simultaneously. Early season growth is dominated by vegetative growth. Once flowering and boll-loading begin, vegetative growth slows because bolls have preference over leaves and stems for available energy and nutrients.
When cutout occurs or cotton blooms out the top, the plant’s energy and nutrients from the leaves have been entirely directed to the bolls. Vegetative growth ceases until a sufficient number of bolls have matured enough to allow vegetative growth to resume. The development of cotton is a constantly changing balancing act.
Rank growth occurs when this balancing act is disturbed, and vegetative growth predominates over boll loading. This imbalance can happen in several ways. Abundant water and nitrogen accompanied by warm weather will support vigorous growth before bloom. As plant vigor and leaf area increase, available sunlight decreases for photosynthesis lower in the plant canopy.
Individual bolls are supported by leaves growing nearby. The earliest squares and bolls that form at nodes five through seven are fed by leaves that may not photosynthesize sufficient energy to support fruit growth. The result of this increased shading and decreased available energy is square and boll shed. Square and boll shed also may result from insect damage, pesticide damage or other environmental stress, such as drought or nutrient deficiencies.
Rank growth also can begin after the flowering starts. Whatever the cause, rank growth can snowball by reducing boll load and thereby increasing the potential energy available for further vegetative growth. In the past, farmers were illequipped to control rank growth.
The available solutions were to (1) plant on the sandiest drought-prone land, (2) withhold nitrogen, (3) avoid irrigation
and (4) chop the tops out of rank cotton. Fortunately, with the availability of mepiquat chloride, the judicious use of nitrogen and timely insect control, we can largely avoid rank growth. In modern times, rainfall is usually the culprit of rank growth.
Protect Investments From Pests
To produce cotton profitably, pest control must be viewed as a wise investment, not just another cost. Typically, a new grower may see that weed, insect and disease management costs comprise a large and seemingly excessive part of production expenses. Therefore, a new producer may delay or avoid timely pest management. This delay is a serious mistake.
The tools available to minimize economic damage from pests are limited. Timeliness is the essence of effective pest management in cotton. Timely crop development is the first defense against pest damage. Perform those agronomic practices that promote cotton fruiting development. Cotton can better compete with pests if it is healthy and actively growing.
Some pesticide applications are inevitable because of the poor competitiveness of this tropical crop during the early part of the season, and the attractiveness of cotton to insects. The effectiveness of cotton pesticides is entirely dependent on timely application in a technically appropriate manner.
Veteran cotton producers can speak with experience about a field or crop that was lost because weeds, insects or diseases overran the cotton.
Flowering is delayed when physiological, chemical or insect-related stress retards square formation or causes square abscission, known as shedding.
Harvest Quality Cotton
North Carolina cotton producers can expect some harvest delays because of rain and high humidity. In addition to delaying harvest, these environmental conditions can reduce lint quality and yield. Harvest delays may also result from the harvesting of other crops, particularly peanuts. Growers need to remember that these delays can, and frequently do, reduce the value of their cotton. Timely harvest will increase or maintain the value of an investment in cotton.
In many years, there is a temptation for growers to delay defoliation in the hopes of increasing yields. Growers in North Carolina need to remember that we seldom have the type of weather needed to increase yields after the first two weeks of October, unless warm weather is forecast for several days during the latter half of October.
For meaningful progress in upper boll maturity to occur, approximately 10 DD-60s per day or more would need to be accumulated. For this to occur, daytime highs should be 80 degrees Fahrenheit or higher and nighttime lows should be above 60 degrees. Daily highs below 70 degrees F and nightly lows below 50 degrees result in no heat unit accumulation, and thus no further meaningful maturity of unopened bolls.
Prolonged cooling trends are not uncommon in North Carolina once we reach mid-October. At this point, waiting on bolls to mature can become futile, if only a few or no heat units are forecast.
Even if a frost is not imminent, boll maturity slows down significantly, and progress towards maturity may take several weeks during late October, as opposed to a few days in late September. Meanwhile, cotton left in the field not only suffers losses in reduced quality but also in reduced yield because lint
Farmers need to remember that harvest delays can, and frequently do, reduce the value of their cotton. Timely harvest will increase or maintain the value of an investment in cotton.
e e ectiveness of cotton pesticides is entirely dependent on timely application in a technically appropriate manner.
falls off the plant.
Losses exceeding 100 pounds of lint per acre over a six-week period have been observed in North Carolina, particularly in varieties with poor stormproof characteristics. In addition, days and hours suitable for harvest generally decline in the fall, and rains typically require more time to dry due to cooler weather, which could potentially limit the number of effective harvest days.
As a result, gaining a week for potential added growth in late September or early October may delay the final harvest of the season by a much longer period, which could increase the risk for yield loss of open bolls and degradation of fiber quality.
Last-Minute Tips To Get Primed For Planting Specialists Speaking
NORTH CAROLINA Guy Collins
As I write this on Jan. 29, we are preparing for our winter cotton meeting season during the month of February. When looking at the article I wrote exactly a year ago, I mentioned we made good yields in 2023 and, despite climbing production costs, there were plenty of opportunities to book the 2023 crop at very respectable prices.
Fast forward to today, the situation is noticeably different. Most growers in North Carolina had yet another good year for cotton, with many reporting above-average to strong yields, and some reporting average or slightly less. There were some pockets where yields were more challenged than in other areas in regard to the June drought and the cool/wet September, both of which took some yield from us. Production costs remained high during 2024 and we expect more of the same in 2025. The biggest difference from a year ago (or more) is market prices. Needless to say, budgets for cotton will be very tight for 2025 unless a major change in market prices surprises us.
With that said, we need to watch our inputs. Make sure every input is justified through replicated research. Along these lines, we have to avoid unnecessary costs. One such potentially avoidable cost is replanting. Replanting can be driven by weather, which is something we need to give adequate attention during planting, but it all starts with seed. March is a great time to start inquiring about seed quality and to ensure your seed is tested as part of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Cotton Seed Testing Program.
As seed arrives into North Carolina, the NCDA inspectors will be actively testing seed lots that they find. However, the inspectors can only collect samples from lots that they were notified of arrival, or ones they happen to find. Additionally, NCDA is down to two inspectors and are stretched very thin. Therefore, growers wanting their seed tested should know that it is the grower’s responsibility to facilitate this process, which now means you may need to collect samples and submit them to the state seed lab yourself. This should be done well ahead of planting season or even ahead of downstream seed treatment, as it is difficult to process seed through the lab in time for planting once we get to mid-April or later. Our newsletters on cotton.ces. ncsu.edu will provide more information on proper procedures for submitting seed samples to the NCDA lab. guy_collins@ncsu.edu
TENNESSEE Tyson Raper
The theme for my winter meeting presentations this year focuses on cutting inputs without sacrificing the top-end yield potential. As I think about planting decisions for 2025, the two inputs I believe we must mull over are seeding rates and nitrogen rates, as our decisions on these two inputs play a substantial role in our needs for other inputs. Over the past several years, we have had several challenging springs where marginal stands (often just over one plant per row foot) were kept. Observing those fields led some to become more comfortable with thinner stands.
As we allow more light to penetrate the canopy, we often find first fruiting positions retained lower on the plant. With more bolls per plant and bolls lower on the plant, vegetative growth is more naturally regulated. An optimized nitrogen rate (often lower than typically applied) will also lead to an easier-to-manage crop that will also be earlier maturing. The earliness of this crop, coupled with a lack of excessive nitrogen, will result in a natural senescence of lower leaves on the plant and a much less attractive canopy for many of our late-season insect pests, reducing our
need for late-season insecticides.
One last point: Several growers in the Mid-South have recently been experimenting with skip-row cotton. These growers are capitalizing on the fact that cotton will compensate when given more space. We can take advantage of these savings in the solid-plant scenario by dropping seeding rates and nitrogen rates. For many, these will be the two easiest ways to move the bottom line closer to black. traper@utk.edu
GEORGIA Camp Hand
Last year, I had an interesting interaction with a grower. The county agent in Lanier County, Georgia, called and asked if I could troubleshoot a field. So I went, and within a couple of minutes, I realized the prebloom cotton was potash deficient. The grower pulled up and I told him what the issue was, so he asked what he needed to do to fix it. I told him I knew how to turn the cotton around, but I didn’t want him to do it because it would cost too much money, the cotton price was too low and we had a lot of season left. He then looked over and pointed at a house close to the field and said, “Do you see that house? That is where I live, and I see this cotton every day. I don’t care what it costs; I want this done right.” So I told him what I would do and we went our separate ways.
The lesson I learned here is that we can talk all day long about how to cut costs and those types of things, but once the rubber meets the road and we get into the growing season, growers do not have it in them to withhold something from the crop that it needs. Once the seed is in the ground, they strive to make the best crop possible, regardless if it sells for 60 cents or $2.
Since most people want to cut up front, the major thing I am talking about is seeding rates. There could potentially be room to cut there, but data across multiple locations in Georgia suggests that the 25,000 to 30,000 seed-per-acre range is our sweet spot for high yield and net returns. But, it isn’t about the number of seed you put in the ground; it’s about how many come up! You all know your fields and know what you need to do to get a stand, so don’t put yourself in a bad spot right out the gate. I would hate for anyone to get the “opportunity” to replant, especially in a year like 2025.
As always, if you have any questions or need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local University of Georgia county Extension agent. We’re here to help! camphand@uga.edu
ALABAMA Scott H. Graham
Long gone is the snow that covered much of Alabama a couple of weeks ago. Somehow, it feels like we could start planting cotton as I write this (Feb. 3); however, the groundhog tells us we have six more weeks of winter. I have read that Punxsutawney Phil is only right about 40% of the time, so when this comes out, we will know how he did this year.
At times, I feel like P. Phil trying to figure out how many acres Alabama will plant in 2025. Regardless of whether the answer is 500 or 500,000, the focus for all involved in growing the crop should be the same: review every input to ensure every dollar spent is profitable. The only complication is that cotton is a difficult crop to grow when “saving money.”
The best way to overcome low commodity prices is still to make the highest yields possible. Keep that in mind when evaluating ways to save. Seeding rates and fertilizers can be cut to a point, but not too far. Plant protection products (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides) are a little harder to cut back on. The primary focus here should be good timing
and using recommended rates. Cutting back on rates may save a couple of dimes but doesn’t help in the long run.
Hopefully you have attended some Extension meetings this year and got some good tips and insights on how you can cut back on your operation. If not, or if you’re still thinking, reach out to your local Extension agent or a specialist. We are all here to help! scottg@auburn.edu
MISSISSIPPI Brian Pieralisi
As I write this on Feb. 4, it’s hard to believe we are talking about planting the 2025 cotton crop. We’ve had some very warm temperatures for about one week and the next two weeks appear to be unusually warm. Obviously, spring is rolling in and we will have to see if it’s a “lion” or a “lamb.”
The latest drought monitor does show some relief from the drought; however, portions of Mississippi are still in a drought, and it will take a bit more rainfall to flip the needle. We are in a little better shape than last year, so I am optimistic that we will be in the black in terms of moisture by May planting season.
Cotton prices have been stagnant for December futures, and profitability seems grim in all row crops. Hedging against risk by trying to lower input costs while maximizing yield is a sound management plan. However, it’s much easier to type than to pull it off in the field. With input prices high and market prices below where most growers pencil in a profit, it is likely that Mississippi acres will remain relatively flat in the 450,000-acre range. I have visited with fellow cotton specialists in other states as well as local growers, and slightly reducing both seeding rates and nitrogen rates is a way to reduce costs on the front end. This also creates a scenario that could ultimately influence other management practices such as plant growth regulators and insecticide applications, or possibly increase defoliation efficacy.
It is all about devising a plan that works for your operation, as well as a management strategy that you have full confidence in that it will work. I hope 2025 is a great year for all stakeholders in the cotton industry! Best of luck! bkp4@msstate.edu
ARKANSAS Zachary Treadway
As I write this on Feb. 4, we are fully in meeting season. Between society meetings and county meetings, I am keeping the roads pretty hot. County production meetings are a great opportunity to get out and hear what your Extension specialists have to say concerning the previous year and the year to come. It is a great time to ask questions and bring to light any concerns you may have. So, make sure to get out and attend your local production meeting.
The prompt for this edition of Specialists Speaking is “Last-Minute Tips to get Primed for Planting.” Here in Arkansas, we just experienced several days with highs in the mid-70s that got everyone a little antsy for spring, but alas, there is the possibility for snow in the next week. Though we aren’t ready to pull the planters out just yet, now is the time to go through those machines and implements that will be so critical in a few short months. Maintenance and service now will go a long way toward keeping us in the field instead of the shop during prime planting time.
It is also time to be finalizing variety decisions for our acres in 2025. There is a plethora of information from across the belt to utilize when making those decisions. Both large plot variety trials and OVT data are valuable tools to aid in choosing the best varieties for your operation. Once those variety decisions have been made, it is valuable to look at the germination data from the seed lots you receive. The weather can have a mind of its own during the spring, and the cool germination data can give an insight on how a variety will perform if the weather takes an unfavorable turn after planting. We are getting closer by the day, and we
Specialists Speaking
will be putting seed in the ground before you know it. As always, if there is anything I can do, please reach out: ztreadway@uada.edu
OKLAHOMA Jennifer Dudak
Oklahoma cotton acres are estimated to be around 460,000 acres in 2025, which is a slight increase from 2024. After three consecutive years of widespread crop failure in the irrigation district due to drought, we’re going into 2025 more optimistic with enough water in Lake Altus for at least one irrigation event.
With the uncertainty of the fate of some post-emergence herbicides, I would highly encourage our producers to focus on the use of residuals both PRE and POST. Under ideal conditions, most residual products utilized in cotton production offer between three to four weeks of acceptable weed control. Although we must take into consideration the economics of our applications, I would encourage tank mixing residual products when possible. Having two products in the tank increases the number of weed species controlled and can stretch that window of control past the typical three to four weeks.
Prior to making a PRE residual application would be an opportune time to consider adding a residual herbicide into your in-season weed management plans to avoid duplicating modes of action within the same growing season. POST residual applications will help suppress in-season weed pressure, alleviating some of the reliance we have on the typical POST products, and can reduce the number of POST applications made. As always, please read the herbicide label before making an application and remember, the best way to keep a field clean throughout the season is to start clean. jdudak@okstate.edu
TEXAS Ken Legé
Cotton growers are facing many uncertainties going into the 2025 season, including Farm Bill legislation, disaster assistance programs, dicamba labels, tariffs and La Nina weather patterns to name a few. One thing is certain: when May arrives in West Texas, there will be a significant amount of acreage planted to cotton. Now’s the time to begin preparing for the season. Despite challenges, we’ve been blessed to have no drought conditions, and feedback from consultants and agents who have been deep sampling says moisture throughout the profile has been confirmed across the region.
Some of the first decisions may involve wheat cover crops, and whether to graze, bring to grain, graze and grain or simply burn it down this spring as a cover crop for either improved soil health and/or wind erosion abatement purposes. Not far behind that decision is choosing your residual herbicide system, which in springtime should look generally the same regardless of which herbicide technology you will be growing in-season. Good weed control in-season invariably starts with a robust residual herbicide system during the late winter/early spring.
One of the most important decisions you’ll make is selecting the right variety for each field. Unless you’re growing one single field of cotton, you most likely should be selecting more than one variety. Each field’s characteristics, such as soil texture, water availability, pathogen presence, tillage practice, etc., may require a unique variety to address those needs. While yield potential is most certainly at the top of the list, other important factors include maturity and fiber quality; for West Texas, the most important fiber quality parameters are staple length and micronaire, as those are the two traits for which we most often are discounted and which are controlled somewhat by genetics.
Seedling vigor is also important and is more than simply choosing a large-seeded variety. While vigor can be correlated with seed size, there are other vigor-related factors, such as oil content and oil composition, and perhaps other unknown factors associated with variety. Related to seedling
Specialists Speaking
vigor is seed quality. Each bag or box will have 80% on the tag, a minimum standard for warm germination required by federal and Texas state seed laws. A simple phone call or text to your ag retailer or seed company representative will get you the actual warm germination and cool germination of the specific lot of seed you purchased. Our Texas A&M AgriLife High Plains budgets suggest that seed costs account for about 6% to 14% of the total variable costs, so knowing the actual seed quality of the lot you spent a few thousand dollars for is surely worth a phone call. Knowing this information will help you make a more informed decision on when and how to plant that lot of seed. Having a uniformly spaced and uniformly aged stand of cotton is important. Seed quality information helps you get there.
Because everything in West Texas is affected by water availability, knowing a variety’s water response is key. It is rare to find a variety that will perform equally well from tough dryland conditions to high-irrigation-capacity fields. Some varieties perform best under dryland-to-light irrigation capacities and don’t have top-end yield potential under moderate-to-high irrigation capacities, while others are opposite; that is, they perform best under moderate-to-high irrigation capacities, but not so well on the drier side of the water spectrum. AgriLife has some data to guide growers, but also check with your seed company agronomists, as they likely have more years of data to help guide you.
Choosing a herbicide technology system will likely give many growers the most difficulty in 2025 with the uncertainties surrounding the labels for over-the-top dicamba herbicides on XtendFlex cotton varieties. A label for 2025 does not appear likely for dicamba; similarly, a label for BASF’s HPPD inhibitor herbicide, Axant ISO for Axant Flex technology seed also appears unlikely for 2025. The cotton industry is fortunate to have other labeled options for in-season weed control, namely the Enlist system from Corteva/PhytoGen. Nearly all companies have glyphosate and glufosinate traits allowing for over-the-top, in-season applications of those two tools. If you are facing a herbicide technology switch for 2025, now is the time to do some homework on what that will mean for your operation. Help is available from a number of sources, including AgriLife Extension, ag retailers, your seed company agronomists, consultants, etc. Make a plan now so you won’t be surprised when it matters most.
Knowing disease and nematode resistance traits for each variety is also key. There are numerous options for root-knot and reniform nematode resistance traits from multiple seed companies. Genetic resistance traits are your best and most economical approach to combatting nematodes. Bacterial blight resistance is your only option to protect your crop from an outbreak. Every seed company has varieties that are resistant, and that resistance is very strong… near immunity in some varieties. In West Texas, Verticillium wilt can be a problem in some fields. While we have genetic tolerance, it is certainly not immunity. That is, even the most tolerant variety can still have symptomology under heavy Vert pressure. This is a trait breeders must observe in the field and select by sight; in other words, there are no molecular markers for Vert tolerance. Since we haven’t had a strong Vert year in at least three years in West Texas, growers should know that breeders and agronomists may not have much confidence in a new variety’s Vert response, as there hasn’t been much pressure with which to characterize that new variety’s Vert tolerance. AgriLife researchers and seed companies have done their best to describe the Vert status of new varieties, but we won’t have more confidence until we see their responses under heavy pressure.
With such uncertainty in the market, it is very tempting to buy the cheapest variety and hope for the best. This reminds me of an old adage: you generally get what you pay for. While price is an important factor for variety selection, it shouldn’t be the primary factor. Purchasing a more economically priced variety may be a wise and legitimate business strategy for some of your fields. Generally, the lower-priced varieties tend to be older genetics. If 2025 ends up being the one or two years out of 10 that have good rainfall and produce a very good dryland crop, just realize the lower-priced variety you may have planted may not have top-end yield
potential compared to a more elite variety your neighbor planted. Have realistic expectations.
Now is the time to study the details and make a plan. With disappointing commodity prices, high input prices and the overall state of the economy, growers can’t afford to make mistakes. Time spent studying the details now will pay off in the end. ken.lege@ag.tamu.edu
TEXAS Ben McKnight
As temperatures begin to rise and the month of March approaches, cotton planting gets underway in South Texas. Typically, if environmental conditions are favorable for planting, growers in the Lower Rio Grande Valley will begin getting the 2025 cotton crop in the ground beginning in late February. Further north in the Coastal Bend, cotton planting is usually well underway by mid-March. As I write this on Feb. 4, both of these cotton production regions have mostly dry soil moisture conditions and some additional rainfall to round out February would be very beneficial for replenishing soil moisture ahead of planting.
As final plans are being pieced together for the upcoming year, I’d like to highlight a few reminders on planting conditions. There is a strong correlation between cotton seedling emergence and environmental conditions at planting and the days following planting. Ultimately, if conditions are marginal with cool air and soil temps in store for the week following planting, delaying planting until more favorable conditions return should enhance the time between planting and successful seedling emergence.
Check with your seed company representatives and distributors and ask to obtain warm and cool germination values for the seed you purchased. Often, the springtime weather in Texas can have drastic swings in temperatures. Planting seed with a higher seedling vigor as indicated by warm and cool germination values on the front end and rounding out final plantings with seed having lesser seedling vigor will often help to achieve a consistent, uniform plant stand across the entire farm. bmcknight@tamu.edu
ARIZONA Randy Norton
As temperatures begin to warm up, decisions are being made about planting windows. There are a lot of things that go into having a successful planting season, many of which are not in our direct control. However, through acquiring appropriate information, decisions can be made to increase the success of your planting season. Among the appropriate information to consider for planting are minimum daily soil temperature at planting depth and the current three-to-five-day weather forecast.
Seeds, as biological organisms respond to temperature. Under cool soil temperatures (less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit), physiological processes required for proper germination begin to slow, dramatically reducing the chance for successful seedling emergence. Emergence slowed by cool soil temperatures results in seedlings being more susceptible to fungal pathogens such as rhizoctonia.
Increased incidence of seedling disease is highly correlated to sub-optimum soil temperatures at planting. Also, seed with lower cool germ tests will have the potential to struggle even more under less-than-optimum planting conditions. It is important to obtain that quality information on the seed lots you are planting to help make more sound management decisions. Warm germination and seed vigor test data from every lot of seed is available from your seed retailer. Minimum soil temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and preferably above 65 degrees Fahrenheit and a nice, warm forecast will greatly enhance the likelihood of successful stand establishment. With the current and seemingly ever-increasing price of seed, well-informed decisions about planting are never more important. rnorton@cals.arizona.edu
are
Georgia Cotton Commission’s 2025 Trustees’ Awards
The Georgia Cotton Commission’s Trustees’ Awards were presented at the 2025 Georgia Cotton Commission Annual Meeting January 29 in Tifton. The Trustees’ Awards are awarded to individuals who have dedicated themselves to the advancement of the cotton industry in the state.
Producers, research and Extension specialists and other cotton industry associates of high character and integrity who have given exceptional service to the cotton industry are eligible to receive this award.
The award was named after the Georgia Colonial Trustees who set out to create an agricultural colony to expedite agriculture productivity, which led to a 10-acre “Trustee Garden” to display “modern” farming techniques. The Trustee Garden was established in 1734 in Savannah, Georgia.
Many crops were experimented with that first year, but cotton was the crop that thrived and has been planted in Georgia every year since. Previous winners of the Trustees’ Awards include Louie Perry, Mike Lucas, Bob McLendon, Ronnie Lee and Chuck Coley.
The recipients of this year’s Trustees’ Awards are Marvin Ruark and Johnny L. Crawford.
Ruark grew up on his family’s cotton farm in Bostwick, Georgia, and has been farming for more than 50 years in Morgan County. Carrying on his family tradition, he bought the Bostwick Cotton Gin in the 1970s. Their family farm produces cotton, turfgrass, broilers and cattle.
Ruark has served as a board member of both Morgan County Farm Bureau and Georgia Farm Bureau. He was district supervisor for the Piedmont Soil and Water Conservation District and secretary/treasurer of the Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation. Ruark has also served as a council delegate and board member for the National Cotton Council, Southern
Cotton Growers and the Cotton Board. He was a board member for the Georgia Cotton Commission from 1980 to 2015.
Ruark and his wife, Bebe, have four children, nine grandchildren and seven great-grandkids with one on the way. The Ruarks attend Gibbs Memorial Baptist Church in Bostwick.
Crawford was born into a farming family in Grady County, Georgia. He graduated from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in 1961 and the University of Georgia in 1963. Crawford then obtained his masters’ degree and completed his Ph.D. in plant pathology.
In his first position with UGA, Crawford was Extension plant pathologist-cotton based in Tifton and was a charter member of the Extension Cotton Team. He became the Extension agronomist for cotton in 1986 and in the early 1990s became Head of the Extension Plant Pathology Department, where he continued to lead the Cotton Team.
Crawford was awarded the National Cotton Council’s Cotton Foundation Fellowship and was appointed D. W. Brooks Distinguished Professor of Agronomy in 1989. He was recognized as the Cotton Specialist of the Year in 1994.
After retirement, Crawford remained active in agriculture as a cotton producer and President and General Manager of South Central Georgia Gin Co. He is a deacon and Bible teacher at Northside Baptist Church of Tifton. He and his wife, Yvonne, live in Chula and have three children and eight grandchildren.
The Georgia Cotton Commission, which began in 1965, is a producer-funded organization located in Perry, Georgia. Georgia cotton producers pay an assessment enabling the Commission to invest in programs of research, promotion and education on behalf of all cotton producers of Georgia.
For more information about the Georgia Cotton Commission, call 478-988-4235 or visit georgiacottoncommission.org.
MARVIN RUARK
JOHNNY L. CRAWFORD
From left
Johnny L. Crawford; Bart Davis, GCC chairman and producer; Marvin Ruark; and Taylor Sills, GCC executive director.
Ginners Marketplace
TCGA Gin Show: Year Two Of The Cotton Belt Gin Connection
Editor’s note: The Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association will host its 117th Gin Show April 3-4 in Lubbock at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. Once again, the goal is to reach out to gins all across the Cotton Belt and enhance the show experience for both attendees and exhibitors. TCGA recently described its rebranding e orts and talked about some of the details for this year’s event. Here is what they had to say:
Last year, we re-branded the show with a new logo and broadened our outreach to ginners across the Cotton Belt. For years, we have delivered a show focused on the cotton ginning industry. Being the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association, we focused our e orts here at home rather than the entire Cotton Belt. Our focus will continue to be Texas, but we want this show to be for everyone.
Since we have the only show in the world where the focus is cotton ginning, we wanted to be sure everyone across cotton belt was o icially invited to the show. We did this through a national mailer that went to every gin in the United States. Our “cotton gin focused” show is unique, and we want everyone involved in cotton to take advantage of this “once a
year” opportunity. We were happy to see that many of our friends throughout the belt came to see us in Texas last year. Hopefully, many will join us this year in Lubbock for our 117th annual meeting and cotton trade show. Thanks to our fellow regional cotton gin associations for sharing their membership addresses, allowing us to advertise our event to all gins. Each year, we have around
COTTON FARMING IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GINNING INDUSTRY.
130 exhibitors invest money into our show by renting booth space from us. Let’s reward our exhibitors with a good turnout in Lubbock.
Texas producers and ginners have been negatively impacted by drought-like conditions for three consecutive years. Production wise, you will not find a three-year stretch that has been worse. Our industry is a resilient and intelligent group of people. Those still fighting and clawing are a testament to that. Hopefully, the di icult years will make you stronger. The old saying, “if it were easy, everyone would be doing it” comes to mind, and we are anxiously waiting for the pendulum to swing back in a positive direction.
Turning Cotton Great Again
Each year, we are tasked with coming up with a theme for our show. This year we chose “TCGA — Turning Cotton Great Again.” It will take a bit of a monumental lift to make it happen, but timely moisture and an increase in cotton prices could quickly turn these lingering challenges into positive vibes.
On this page, you can access event information including hotel availability and a pre-registration form. Pre-registering is a tremendous help to the TCGA sta so we will have your badge waiting for you at the Gin Show! There are also registration forms for both the golf and domino tournament, along with a chronological list of events and activities that will take place the week of the show.
It seems like everything else has increased in price, so hopefully the price of cotton can take a turn upward as well. Surely, after three brutal years of drought, we are due for some timely moisture throughout the growing season here in our great state. Let’s “Turn Cotton Great Again” in 2025.
Please help us promote our cotton trade show. Call and email your friends in the cotton industry. That is helpful in getting the word out. Go to your social media accounts and share the details of our show. You can find event details at www.tcga.org. You can also download the TCGA app to your smart devices. Just search for “TCGA” in your app store.
Now is the time to make arrangements for your trip to Lubbock. We hope you will support our exhibitors who will be investing valuable time, resources and energy to make our show a successful event. We still have a little available booth space. Please reach out to Aaron Nelsen at 512-476-8388 if you are interested in obtaining booth space.
Hopefully, our exhibitors can provide some answers to questions you have about the coming year. They cannot make it rain, but they can certainly help you better prepare for another crop year. Our show continues to be a valuable resource as it brings so many in the cotton industry together. Come join us and bring your friends!
Where To Find More Information
Let’s get into the show details. All meeting and trade show information is available on our website at https://www.tcga. org/trade-show/.
The hotel reservation information page has links you can click on for making your reservations online. Our hotel blocks seem to fill quickly, so we certainly encourage you to go ahead and make your reservations early! The Overton Hotel and Conference Center located on Mac Davis Lane will again serve as our host hotel. The hotel is just a short drive from the Lubbock Civic Center — the site of the 2025 show.
Encourage your board members, employees, friends and family to attend the show. Please help us get the word out and encourage others to attend and make this event a success. Contact TCGA at 512-476-8388 if you have questions or comments. Hope to see you in Lubbock on April 3 & 4!
Who Will Hold The Knife?
The top item on my bucket list has been revised: “To write something worthwhile that will outlive me.” The “outlive me” addition is not really new, just previously undisclosed. It’s embarrassing to confess vanity.
To be clear though, I’m too slow to chase fame. My wish involves future descendants, the ones I won’t meet. I’d love to think something I wrote might connect us.
Making a bucket list is not easy for me. Jane and I aren’t keen on traveling, so that rules out the Seven Wonders of the World. Maybe we’ll go to The Little Grand Canyon in Lumpkin. We could leave after breakfast, pack a sandwich and get home to walk the dog before the six o’clock news. We’ll skip travel today and consider other possibilities.
taste buds are not adventurous. Maybe I’ll start with desserts.
■ Find a cure for tinnitus — I don’t plan to delve into science. That would be like Jethro Bodeen’s quest to become a brain surgeon. I’m just hoping to learn there’s a remedy.
A month after my 72nd birthday, I began hearing high-pitched tones. It’s quite annoying and most treatments are mere distractions. If anyone submits a sure cure for tinnitus to Joiner’s Corner, you’ll be awarded the grand prize of our next major drawing. I haven’t yet decided which major to draw, perhaps Major Tom.
■ Skip a rock five times — Three skips are easy with the right rock and four is attainable, but I can’t hit five even in my dreams. I’ve enjoyed skipping rocks since childhood, inspired by Opie Taylor tossing a stone into a fishing hole.
“I can already whittle a stick into something that resembles a pencil.”
■ Invent something simple and fun — When the Hula Hoop came along, I was amazed that plastic rings quickly encircled the world. There have been other such items: paddle balls, marbles and balsa wood airplanes come to mind. I’m a fan of simplicity.
■ Expand my palate — I love to eat, but wish I enjoyed more foods. Broccoli is a good example. It is alleged to offer health benefits, but to me the smell is not appealing, plus President George H. W. Bush didn’t like it and I trusted him.
Tomatoes on the other hand captivated me as a youngster. They looked great on a plate and my parents loved them. I began with small bites of not-quite-ripe tomato smothered in salt and became addicted. Full disclosure: Broccoli was not served at our house, nor was its less offensive cohort, asparagus. Don Giles sometimes reminds me of the first time we saw asparagus. A lady in the cafeteria line at Valdosta State College was doling out the odd-looking fare. “What’s that?” Don asked with a dubious smile. I had no idea. My experience with exotic foods was limited to the omelets at Allstate Truck Stop in Unadilla. I really do want to expand my food options, but my
■ Learn to carve — I can already whittle a stick into something that resembles a pencil. That skill also came from watching The Andy Griffith Show and the whittling men of Mayberry. When it comes to serious carving though, I can’t make anything mantle worthy.
James Woodward recommended a good book and gave me a carving block along with a wooden knife and an arrow he’d made. I read the book but put the block on a shelf. I may leave it there because it reminds me that life is like that block in some ways. The choices we make help shape who we are.
That’s enough bucket list items for now. I’m earnestly working on the first one, but don’t know if I’ll ever write something worthwhile that will outlive me. Here’s something I do know. The carving block of life always needs attention.
If we whittle without divine guidance, we’ll eventually fail. Even our best efforts will only yield temporary satisfaction. The shaping strokes that offer lasting rewards are those where God holds the knife and we don’t interfere.
Perhaps a bigger blessing is that no matter how bad we mangle our blocks, God can turn them into something beautiful. Each new day we have choices to make. He leaves it up to us as to who will hold the knife.
— Neil Joiner Vienna, Georgia gneiljoiner@gmail.com, joinerscorner.com
Cotton Farming’s back page is devoted to telling unusual “farm tales” or timely stories from across the Cotton Belt. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve got an interesting story to tell, send a short summary to csmith@onegrower.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
Neil Joiner
WAKE UP WITH US!
Wake Up with Cotton & Coffee! Season six of The Cotton Board’s Cotton & Coffee Zoom series is here! In just the time it takes to enjoy your morning coffee, get the latest updates from the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. Join us for a quick 30-minute session, followed by Q&A, to see how assessment dollars are working to boost cotton’s demand and profitability. Visit cottonboard.org/cotton-coffee for upcoming dates and to sign up!
