Arkansas’ brief rally in the number active cotton gins has ended, as open gins declined from 33 to 28 between 2017 and 2018, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. The state’s cotton acres rose from below 400,000 acres in 2015 to 485,000 in 2018, and so did the number of operating gins: 26 in 2015, 31 in 2016, and ... Read More »
• By Clint Thompson • Georgia temperatures are rising, and the weather is only going to get hotter with little rain in the forecast. That’s not good news for Georgia’s cotton producers who are in the middle of planting this year’s crop, says Jared Whitaker, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension cotton agronomist. According to the UGA Weather Network at www.georgiaweather.net, ... Read More »
May 25 marks the last day for Arkansas growers to apply the herbicide dicamba to crops in the state, based on a ruling from the Arkansas State Plant Board earlier this year. The herbicide is primarily used to control Palmer amaranth, commonly known as pigweed, in soybeans and cotton that have been genetically modified to tolerate the chemicals. Although various ... Read More »
As seed prices rise, growers must be increasingly mindful of the density and configuration of cotton in their fields. However, current cotton plant population recommendations aren’t always helpful or based on the latest research. Experts often offer guidance, rather than direct answers, and discuss both seeding rates and plant population, which can be confusing. Experts also recommend seeding in excess ... Read More »
The Texas Department of Agriculture has issued Section 24(c) Special Local Need labels for two dicamba herbicides to allow application up to 90 days after cotton planting. The products are Engenia Herbicide from BASF and XtendiMax herbicide with VaporGrip Technology from Bayer. The Section 24(c) is a change from the federal label, which prohibits application more than 60 days after ... Read More »
• By Dominic Reisig • If you are replanting cotton, keep in mind that the Thrips Infestation Predictor for Cotton predicts that cotton planted in May will be more at risk from thrips than earlier planted cotton. Although seedlings grow quicker in warmer weather, risk is predicted to increase throughout May as thrips move from wheat and weeds as they ... Read More »
Cotton and sorghum producers are applauding Section 18 emergency use exemptions from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Transform WG insecticide. Transform provides growers with an effective tool for controlling sap-feeding pests including major yield-robbers – tarnished plant bug in cotton and sugarcane aphid in sorghum. States receiving Section 18s for cotton production include Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, ... Read More »
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