Cotton has made up a lot of ground during the last couple of weeks in northern Alabama. Several fields had blooms the first week of July, and younger cotton fields are growing rapidly. I am seeing more sulfur deficiency symptoms on cotton this year than in years past. This may be due to the heavy rainfall in some areas and poor cotton rooting early in the season. We definitely need to pay more attention to sulfur fertilization on cotton in Alabama. Late emerging glyphosate-resistant horseweed is also a problem in several cotton fields I visited last week. These fields had pre-plant and pre-emergence herbicides applied, but new horseweed plants are continuing to emerge. Many of these farms will be using hooded sprayers to control these troublesome weeds.
This crop season appears to be moving along way too quickly. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were talking about how this year's cotton might be delayed by rain events in the Mid- South. And simultaneously...
Every summer Cotton Farming takes a closer look at a topic that never seems to go out of date. It's as relevant today as it was 10, 20 or 30 years ago. The circumstances have changed, but the message...
Water is a precious and valuable commodi ty on the High Plains of Texas. As a farmer on the High Plains, I often wonder how many times over my career I will reflect upon the words, "If we had...
This is my 34th year as an agricultural consultant on the Texas High Plains. As I look back over those years, I am amazed at the advancements that have taken place. The way producers farmed 34 years ago is certainly different from today. However, one thing that hasn't changed over all these years is that water is a yield-limiting factor, and there is no substitute for water.
In a cascade of notices, the California Water Resources Control Board told junior water rights holders in the state's major watersheds recently to immediately stop diverting water. The board says extreme drought leaves the watersheds without enough water to...
Western Farmers Trying to Cope with Serious Drought
Blame it on weather patterns, urban expansion, water rights, battles or politics. No matter where you live in California or Arizona, the hottest issue today for cotton farmers comes down to one...
Jason Krutz, Irrigation Specialist,Dan Roach, Ext. Associate,Trent Irby, Extension Soybean Specialist,Bobby Golden, Agronomist, Delta REC, Mississippi State University,Darrin Dodds, Extension Cotton Specialist,Erick Larson, State Extension Specialist
We are having lots of questions concerning the proper setup of surge valves. First,...
There seems to be a never-ending list of government proposals that would make routine agricultural practices difficult or impossible to perform – and the latest from two federal agencies could bring a raft of new requirements aimed squarely at...
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) will make $6 million in grants available this year, and up to $30 million total over the next five years as part of a...
BY KATE CAMPBELL
CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU
The serious consequences to food production from the ongoing California drought rose to national prominence recently, as President Obama toured drought-stressed areas of the San Joaquin Valley, U.S. senators introduced a bill to address the...
When we look at our USDA estimated yield of 956 pounds per acre, most producers are disappointed. When comparing our yield with some of our other Delta states, we note that their yields were much higher.
In my estimation, we had the potential, but it is hard to overcome the effects of three weeks of heavy rainfall in July and August.
For all practical purposes, the 2013 cotton has been harvested. There may be a few isolated fields that haven’t been harvested, but these would be on the heavier, wetter soils that are prone to flooding. More importantly, the modules have been taken to the gins. I haven’t seen a module truck on the road for at least three weeks.
Are we ready to look back on 2013 and remember the events and people that made it such an unforgettable year? Some of you may already be groaning because it sounds like I’m about to travel down the nostalgia highway again. Bear with me. We’ll try not to go overboard here.
Water, or the lack of it, obviously can have a serious impact on a cotton farmer’s bottom line. “If you don’t have water, you definitely will not maximize the yield potential of your chosen varieties,” says Dr. Ed Barnes,...
