Specialists Speaking
Brian Pieralisi / MISSISSIPPI
Variety selection should be at the forefront of cotton farmers’ to-do lists. Like most years, there are several new varieties hitting the market with limited third-party performance data. In Mississippi State’s On-Farm cotton variety demonstration, the difference from the top- and bottom-performing variety was as high as 285 lbs. of lint or $185 (at $0.65) per acre. Across all locations in Mississippi, the difference between the top- and bottom-performing variety was 144 lbs. of lint or $94 (at $0.65) per acre.
Considering the poor cotton market conditions, it is important to hedge as much as possible with any input to strive for a positive return on investment. Many growers are scaling back on seeding and nitrogen rates. Much of our beltwide cotton research efforts supports scaling back on some inputs and focus on profitability rather than pushing for the very top-end yielding crop. With that said, cotton variety selection is the most important input for the entire season, so evaluating cotton variety trials will help in making those difficult decisions.
A good variety performance indicator is top performance across multiple locations as well as fine tuning your evaluation to regional and local performance. Finally, hone in on soil texture, agronomic practices (dryland/irrigated, row spacing, etc.), planting dates, and yield and fiber quality packages. Again, the goal is to try to hedge against uncertainty and make the best decision based on agronomic data. ∆
Brian Pieralisi / MISSISSIPPI