Specialists Speaking

The hummingbirds that appeared in our backyard in March developed goose down to survive April and early May. Cotton seed planted in early May in North Alabama needed jackets and waders, while further south, they desperately thirsted for water. Spring finally turned the corner to warmer temperatures on May 12. In Central and South Alabama, soil moisture became extremely limited ... Read More »

As of mid-April, early planted cotton in the Texas Rio Grande Valley was squaring. There have been some isolated reports of early pressure from thrips and aphids. Early season scouting for these pests and understanding economic thresholds for each one is essential to developing and executing timely management practices. Postemergence herbicide applications should be in full swing in this region. ... Read More »

With planting underway and small seedlings emerging across the state, it is important to remember there are many things that can occur in the field affecting the survivability of those seedlings. Among those is seedling disease. Disease pressure can have a negative impact on seedling emergence and survivability, reducing stand and sometimes resulting in replanting. The two main seedling diseases ... Read More »

As we approach cotton-planting season, growers should be aware of all factors influencing initial crop establishment. By now, most have already selected varieties. It is time to focus on pieces of information that can assist you in making decisions during the planting process. When planting season rolls around, folks get busy. I encourage you to pay close attention to the ... Read More »

Recently, I’ve been in meetings in which my colleague Eddie McGriff has preached to corn growers about high-end production. Among his points are planter maintenance and precision planting. My take (with a touch of humor) is that the yield heroes in corn will prescribe an exact seeding rate (example – 33,128 seeds per acre) and demand that every seed emerge ... Read More »

I don’t like thick stands of cotton. What looks just right in May is too thick in August. And I sure don’t like hill-dropping that results in three or more plants per hill. I can’t stand spindly stalks. Think outside the box with me. First, I acknowledge that my experiences are biased by cotton in the southern extremes of the ... Read More »

With the challenges of 2019 behind us, I am sure this year in cotton production will be one we will not want to revisit any time soon. For most cotton producers across the state, it was one of lower-than- average yields, fiber quality issues that included some short staple and a complicated harvest with fall rains about once a week ... Read More »