Specialists Speaking-Josh Lee

Josh Lee
Alabama

The finish line for the 2026 cotton growing season is now upon us. There has been a lot of time and effort put into producing this year’s cotton crop, so let’s be diligent at harvest and finish strong. The cotton crop across Alabama has shaped up well in response to a good amount of acreage being planted later in south Alabama. North Alabama was able to catch many timely rain events and was able to have good boll set, but crop management got a little tricky during the rainfall periods. Areas of central Alabama had good heat unit accumulation but did not get nearly as much rain as folks in the north.

So far, this season’s insect pressure has been low and fruit retention high. Cotton jassids have been documented in areas across the state but not in large numbers, which has been a blessing. Folks across the state have scouted diligently for cotton insects this season and have been proactive.

Cotton specialists from across the Cotton Belt would all agree that timely management is essential for success. Timeliness is key when defoliating this cotton crop to protect yield and fiber quality. When the crop is ready, let’s be sure that the sprayer and picker are ready to roll. It’s always a good idea to have a pre-harvest checklist to ensure that everything can go smoothly. Remember to use at least two of three methods when pulling the trigger on defoliating your crop (1. 60%-75% open boll, 2. Sharp knife method, 3. Four nodes above cracked boll).

I’m excited to start picking around the state and look forward to sharing our results at county meetings this winter. Please be safe out there. I wish everyone a great harvest season! If you have questions regarding cotton defoliation and harvest, Alabama Cooperative Extension is here to help! Please don’t hesitate to contact your local Extension agent or specialist for more information.