11 minute read
Research & Promotion
The Power Of Partnering With University Extension
To say that Cotton Incorporated’s Agricultural and Environmental Research Department (AERD) staff have a lot going on may be the understatement of the year. Each of the scientists on the AERD team serves as a project manager for a specific research area, including agronomy, physiology, breeding, genetics, engineering, cottonseed research, weed management, pathology and entomology.
It is their role to set the specific priorities for the research area, ensure the priorities are in alignment with Cotton Incorporated’s corporate mission of enhancing cotton production and profitability and to ensure individual projects are meeting their objectives. That may sound like a potentially overwhelming workload for each staff member, but Dr. Ryan Kurtz, AERD Senior Director at Cotton Incorporated, said the staffs’ partnerships with university Extension personnel make it all possible.
“Our research priorities are set through input from our board of directors, on-farm visits with growers and consultants, personal in-field experiences, attending research and Extension meetings, as well as regular one-on-one interactions with university research and Extension scientists,” Kurtz said.
University Extension personnel are critical in communicating the challenges occurring at the farm-level back to Cotton Incorporated, fellow researchers and allied industry.
Identifying Research Projects
Once research priorities are set, proposals are either requested broadly from the scientific community or targeted to specific Extension scientists known to excel in a particular research area. The AERD team regularly forms working groups of scientists to address problems, even across state boundaries.
“In many ways, we operate similarly to general managers in sports by managing the budget and putting together perfect teams of scientists to address current production needs,” Kurtz said.
For example, Mississippi State University Extension recently published a document on tarnished plant bug management in the Mid-South. The research project was funded by Cotton Incorporated and included input from an Extension working group consisting of Extension scientists from the University of Arkansas, Louisiana State University, Texas A&M University and the University of Tennessee.
Beyond their help to the Cotton Incorporated AERD team, Kurtz urges growers to utilize their Extension personnel whenever they need unbiased resources and information. “University Extension personnel conduct a substantial amount of applied research and relay their unbiased findings to growers in a timely manner,” Kurtz said.
These unbiased findings and communications are aimed at improving input efficiencies, reducing input costs, improving water-use efficiency, as well as managing resistant weeds and insects.
Cotton Specialists Corner
One of the newest ways growers can hear from Extension personnel is through a podcast called “Cotton Specialists Corner.” This podcast brings together Extension cotton specialists from across the United States to weigh in on a variety of topics that impact cotton producers, consultants and the industry as a whole.
The podcast is available through Apple, Spotify, Google, or by doing an internet search for “cotton specialists corner.”
BY STACEY GORMAN
WARREN, ARKANSAS
Stacey Gorman is The Cotton Board’s director of communications and may be reached at sgorman@cottonboard.org.
Americot Supporting Growers across the Cotton Belt with ACE Trial Program
Americot strives to develop and provide NexGen® cotton varieties that fit the specific climate and growing conditions of every region we serve, all with the goal of helping our growers achieve the best results possible.
During the past five years, we have continually expanded our research and germplasm program by developing new varieties and testing them in field trials across the Cotton Belt. Through our Americot Cotton Evaluation (ACE) Trials, we work with a number of co-operators across the country. These trials and related efforts generate information in areas such as water utilization, heat tolerance, plant growth regulator (PGR) response and input management, providing insights and data to our research teams and more importantly, our growers.
The following highlights reflect our observations and opinions in a few of our key geographic areas regarding variety performance, growing challenges, and overall thoughts for the season.
DOUG JOST, PH.D. Director of Research & Cotton Germplasm; Rolling Plains & Southern South Plains, TX
“Field observations: Hot and dry with a gust of wind. I have heard it said that it will not rain until the wind quits blowing and the wind will not quit blowing until it rains. Guess what, it is July, and we are still getting 30 mph winds. I have been working back in west Texas since 2007 and have not seen as much bare ground as we are experiencing this year. 2011 was our last “drought” year, however, in 2011 we were able to get much of the crop at least started (planted and emerged). This year is much different. Most of the crops in my territory did not have a chance to emerge. There are a few irrigated fields here and there, but you really have to know where to find them.
“This year I targeted 15 trials as part of our ACE Trials. I was able to get 10 planted (many growers I typically work with simply did not have enough moisture to get a stand). Unfortunately, since planting, several have been lost to the drought. Those that have survived are either in areas that have had a few showers or with growers that have limited their acres and redirected their irrigation.
“Regarding our key varieties, NG 4098 B3XF still stands up to the hardest of conditions. In areas where slight moisture was available, emergence was still stellar. We have tested NG 4098 B3XF in some really tough, as well as excellent growing conditions. This growing season has really pressured emergence of varieties and I am pleased to say that NG 4098 B3XF continues to lead our lineup in stand establishment.”
CODY JONES Germplasm Specialist; KS, OK & TX Panhandle
“Establishing a good stand is critical during extreme heat and drought and we’ve seen plenty of both this season. The excellent emergence and vigor seen in NG 3195 B3XF and NG 3930 B3XF set us up for a good start this season in my territory. Additionally, the levels of heat tolerance observed in NG 4936 B3XF, NG 5711 B3XF and newer varieties like NG 5150 B3XF and NG 3195 B3XF will certainly help to retain fruit and give better odds of making yield and fiber for this year.
“We’re watching the PGR and fertility needs of the crop closely this year, as drought stressed cotton tends to have poor assimilate translocation to reproductive tissues. If Mother Nature adds any other stresses that hasn't already been thrown at us, it will just compounds things.
“NexGen’s newest varieties are still maintaining outstanding vigor, even in the face of terrible planting and early-season growth conditions. The NexGen reps and I are supporting local growers, helping each one to grow their crop to its potential. Despite all the hinderances already encountered, the NexGen portfolio of Bollgard® 3 XtendFlex® varieties is ready to impress in 2022.”
LEVI SCHAEFER Germplasm Specialist; High Plains & South Plains, TX
“Even with the drought and tough growing conditions here in West Texas, our NG 3195 B3XF and NG 3930 B3XF varieties have gotten off to a strong start and have showed good early season performance. They show good vigor, despite the marginal planting conditions we’ve been experiencing in this area this season.
“We expect more challenges this year with the weather and growing conditions, but all things considered, these varieties have started out strong and performing well, despite those challenges.”
DAN PITTS Germplasm Specialist; NC, SC & VA
“Cotton growers in the Carolinas and Virginia have proved their courage this year. The spring’s unprecedented swings around input costs, commodity prices and production practices made cotton variety choices more critical for growers than any year I can remember. The wild environmental swings we experienced during the planting window also made for some challenging decisions.
“My first plot went in at 40°F and my last plot topped the thermometer at 102°F. We started too wet in April and then too dry during the key planting dates of May. Finally, the bulk of the acreage was planted the last part of May. Even with these challenges, growers from the Savannah River in South Carolina to edge of the James River in Virginia honored us with their confidence in the NexGen brand. To maintain this confidence, we continue to vigorously test our products across the Carolinas and Virginia.
“NG 3195 B3XF has become the most dependable cotton variety I have ever worked with. It offers impressive stand establishment, excellent early season vigor, easy plant management and an outstanding yield package. It has yet to disappoint me. While NG 3195 B3XF has become a go-to variety across the entire Cotton Belt, other newer products like NG 4190 B3XF and NG 3299 B3XF continue to impress with their vigor and performance.
“I am very enthusiastic about new NexGen experimental lines that will bring the ThryvOn™ trait in future years. These new genetics demonstrate incredible vigor and early season plant health. These new lines will build on the excellent germination characteristic you’ve come to expect from NexGen lines. I am truly excited about the future of NexGen varieties for the Carolinas and Virginia…as well as the rest of the Cotton Belt.”
SCOTT RUSSELL Germplasm Specialist; Southern AL & GA
“After a year like 2021 where we experience historical rainfall the year 2022 has brought us the opposite. During planting this season, we have experienced abnormally elevated temperatures and dry weather, both of which resulted in some challenges getting stands and maintaining them with irrigation. As of a few weeks ago, we had a lot of dryland cotton blooming high but some rain slowly moving into the area as scattered storms. Plant bug pressure has been light to moderate with stinkbug damage showing earlier and heavier than the past few years, due to alternative host drying down from drought. Fortunately, we are seeing widespread thunderstorms across the area resulting in some much-needed rainfall. We have observed cotton plants responding rapidly to this moisture.
“As a whole, research plots in this area look great again this season. We are seeing good vigor from the ThryvOn™ variety candidates being tested, along with all three of our newest varieties, NG 3195 B3XF, NG 4190 B3XF and NG 5150 B3XF in Georgia, Alabama and Florida. Several growers have stated that they are extremely satisfied with the consistency, vigor and resulting stands from NG 3195 B3XF since its introduction as an experimental variety in 2020, even with varied weather conditions. I recently talked with a grower that was incredibly pleased with the vigor of NG 4190 B3XF on his farm. We feel that both varieties are posed to fill the gap of other varieties across the Southeast, due to their widely adaptive nature to soil types, maturity, planting populations and other regional attributes.
“We are especially excited already about the 2023 season because of our Southeast Breeding Program and the future varieties we see coming from them. Americot has invested heavily in the future of cotton in the Southeast and we’re raising the bar for vigor, fiber quality and yield.”
KAREN GELDMACHER Germplasm Specialist; AZ
“Water. The five-letter word safeguarding the future of cotton farming in Arizona. This season, all eyes are on water here in the Grand Canyon State. Yuma Valley growers outsmarted a reduced water allocation by planting last season’s ACE Trial regional leader NG 3195 B3XF; a quick fruiting, rapid loading and early finishing variety with high lint yield performance. In 2021 this variety yielded 1,882 lbs of lint and 2,243 lbs of seed per acre in southwestern AZ.
“In our fifth year of research in Maricopa, Arizona Americot sorts the Level 2 Heat Stress winners from the candidate entry pool. Recently, NG 3195 B3XF, NG 4190 B3XF, and NG 5150 B3XF have all earned their position on the pedestal. NG 4936 B3XF and NG 5711 B3XF varieties are proving that viable pollen and exceptional boll retention during heat stress are NexGen traits and are translating to substantial yield potential across the Cotton Belt. Experimental ThryvOn™ candidates are included in our 2022 heat tolerance research, with August peak bloom observations of high pollen quality and excellent fruit retention for these contenders.
“August and September will bring peak bloom and cut-out to Central and Eastern Arizona growers who are persisting through the critical Gila River & Colorado River water shortages. Facing a 25-30% reduction in water allocations, growers planted heat-tolerant premium fiber quality NexGen varieties and outstanding ACE Trial performers NG 4936 B3XF and NG 5150 B3XF, relying on soil moisture monitoring for precise irrigation scheduling to maintain soil profiles close to field capacity while conserving water. Our growers depend on NexGen varieties to convert every drop of water to profitable yields during seasons of critical water reductions.”
For further information on Americot Cotton Evaluation Trials in your region, contact your Americot Germplasm Specialist. Visit www.americot.com/research-team for contact information.
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