Guy Collins NORTH CAROLINA
Specialists Speaking
Guy Collins
NORTH CAROLINA
By this point in time, most variety decisions have been made, burndown applications and any preplant tillage are being conducted, and we watch and wait anxiously to begin planting. Important decisions are best made when we are well informed.
We don’t know yet what the planting season will bring in terms of temperatures and rain, but knowing the warm and cool germ will help us navigate through it and make the best decisions possible. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture cotton seed quality testing program continues to be a valuable tool for growers. However, careful planning and submitting seed to them in a timely fashion, well ahead of planting, is important if we want the information on hand before planting season. Therefore, make sure to take action right away if this is important to you – it should be.
Last year taught us a lot, as every year does. Late April and early May brought good planting weather and, therefore, good stands. Then mid-May brought cooler and wetter weather that resulted in poor stands, but more importantly, we saw many cases of good stands begin to decline with developing seedling disease. In most cases, we worry only about stand establishment, but last year reiterated that we need to do everything we can to protect the plant for a while beyond stand establishment. This includes planting high quality seed in ideal conditions beyond emergence, protecting seedlings from diseases, thrips, etc. ∆
Guy Collins
NORTH CAROLINA
