Irrigation

By mid-June, we reached a critical time for our cotton crop in terms of preserving yield potential as a result of moisture stress. This is not the norm for Arkansas. Some fields continued to produce nodes close to what...

By Steven Bradley, Clemson University — Water is a driving force behind virtually every facet of life in South Carolina — from agriculture, recreation and tourism to essential needs like food and drink. But water is among both the...

Texan To Lead The National Cotton Council In 2018 Ron Craft, a cotton producer and fifth-generation ginner from Plains, Texas, was elected National Cotton Council chairman for 2018. Named during the NCC’s 2018 annual meeting, Craft moves up from NCC vice...

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System is working with Auburn University’s Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences to bring Alabama farmers the Row Crops Short Course. It will be held at the Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center...

Monitoring soil moisture and scheduling irrigation doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective, as one Texas High Plains grower finds. By Vicky Boyd Managing Editor When it comes to soil moisture monitoring, David Carter of Levelland, Texas, likes to keep...

The West and the Southwest are areas of the Cotton Belt that typically experience water shortages. Instead of giving up on trying to irrigate their crops, cotton farmers have adopted systems to make the most of the water that they have. “California is the only state that has to rely fully on irrigation to meet crop water needs,” says Bob Hutmacher, University of California Extension cotton specialist. “We are growing cotton in a dry environment with essentially no chance of rainfall during most of our cotton-growing season. Arizona growers may get growing-season water from monsoon rains, but there is little chance of that for most California producers. “In the past, when we had more consistent, favorable water supplies, better quality water, and weren’t competing as much with permanent crops, furrow irrigation was a typical system used by cotton farmers. Today, we still have large acreages of level basin irrigation – a type of border system – on land well suited for it, such as the finer-textured lake bottom land in the San Joaquin Valley. For these specific soil types, soil characteristics allow this ground to be irrigated quite efficiently at low costs with the level basin system.”

By Carroll Smith Editor Matt and Sherrie Miles come from multi-generational Arkansas cotton families. Although cotton is in their blood, they farmed only 180 acres last year. In 2016, they embraced the crop once again by planting 3,300 acres. “Cotton...

ARKANSAS Even with the difficult start we have experienced with this crop, we should be on track to find flowers by July 4. The status of our cotton plants at first flower reveals much about the past and gives us...

By Guy Collins And Keith Edmisten North Carolina State University Authors’ note: These general irrigation guidelines were developed several years ago by other faculty at the University of Georgia. In some cases, deviating from this model may be appropriate. Much of...

Technology improves water-use efficiency and profitability. By Carroll Smith Editor Part 1  Irrigation Strategies – Part 2 is available here. In that installment, irrigation experts will address efficient, profitable irrigation methods used in the Southwest and West regions of the Cotton Belt. Watering cotton to prevent drought stress...

By Rad Yager Whether you’re a cotton breeder, researcher or grower, it’s time to consider using soil moisture sensors if you irrigate. Basically, they will help you understand what’s going on deep below the soil surface. Here are some tips...

Focus On Cotton Webcast Features Precision Ag Data Field observations and data have always been a critical part of agriculture. However, the widespread adoption of data collection – and real-time analytics by industry leaders and local growers alike – illustrates the...

Texan Taps Into Network Of Advisers By Carroll Smith Editor Dimmitt is a small town on the Old Ozark Trail in the Texas Panhandle and is known as the home of bluegrass musicians Smokey, Edd and Herbert Mayfield. Cotton producer Bill Myatt...

TIP, CRP Programs Still Important Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that farmers, ranchers and landowners committed to protecting and conserving environmentally sensitive land were able to sign up for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) beginning June 9. The Secretary...

In many areas of the Belt, the cotton crop is somewhat behind schedule this year, requiring producers to make adjustments to their “normal” production practices. Thirty percent of the Web Poll respondents say they have had to deal with adjusting...