Specialists Speaking – SHELLY KERNS LOUISIANA
It is getting to be cotton time in Louisiana! As a state, we had a phenomenal cotton year last season. Because of this, many growers are going into the 2026 season with high spirits. We are even anticipating a slight increase in cotton acres this year after the drastic decline of Louisiana cotton acreage in 2025.
Thinking forward to planting, there are several considerations growers should keep in mind to achieve a healthy stand. Growers should be selecting a high-quality, well-performing variety. Varietal selection can be aided by supplemental data available in the 2026 LSU AgCenter Cotton Variety Guide, which details hybrid performance under numerous different growing conditions throughout the state. When planting, the soil temperature should be forecasted to be at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit for at least three consecutive days after planting. This ensures adequate germination temperatures and less risk of developing seedling diseases.
Finally, there have been several inquiries about dropping seeding rates this year in an effort to save on seed costs. Although we had a great year environmentally for cotton yield in 2025, this does not guarantee we will have great environmental conditions in 2026. The recommendation for Louisiana is two to three cotton plants per foot of row on 30-to-40-inch rows. If you plan to drop lower than in years past, it is not recommended to do so on a large acreage all at once. It is important to also consider that with less plants, more time must be invested into maturity during the season as the plants put on more bolls.
Overall, the attitude surrounding cotton planting in Louisiana is much more hopeful than this time last year. It would be great to have another year full of great weather (and no hurricanes/tropical storms). However, that is not always guaranteed. Therefore, it is important that we put our considerations into preparing our fields for success on the front end! ∆
Specialists Speaking – SHELLY KERNS LOUISIANA