What is in this article?:
- Cotton consultants: weed resistance top concern
- Hooded sprayers
- Feral hogs
- Timing fertilizer
- “We have to take it seriously,” said Paul Pilsner, who works the upper Texas coast area for Coastal Crop Consulting.
- Cotton farmers encouraged to use residual herbicides to augment over-the-top applications.
- Farmers are still using pre-emergence herbicides and some are still deep-breaking land every four to five years. Also, some utilize crop rotation.
- Climate may help delay resistance.
- Some farmers are pulling out hooded sprayers to treat herbicide resistant pigweeds, and chopping weed escapes.
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Timing fertilizer
He said fertilizer application timing also makes a difference, especially in an area where rainfall can leach away nutrients applied early. “Apply one-third of the recommended amount in March or April and the rest before full bloom.”
Baugh said zinc levels fell last year following heavy summer rains and recent samples “have still been low.”
Baugh said High Plains cotton farmers spend more money on thrips control than on any other insect. “Again, losing Temik hurts. We get 14 to 18 days control with seed treatments.”
He said bollworm resistance in Bt cotton is “a concern for High Plains cotton farmers.”
Hydrick said variable rate fertilizer application is a practice than can make money “for the grower, the consultant and the dealer. We can reduce cost and increase yield.”
He said 2010 cotton yields in Arkansas were “well above average. ST5458 and DPL 0912 were the top producers. We also had a rain-free harvest and no boll rot. We have a lot of questions for 2011.”
McLawhorn said the 2010 cotton crop in North Carolina was “better than average with good grades. The very late varieties did well.”
Temik continues to play an important role in insect control, especially for thrips, he said. “It’s been a lot more profitable to use than seed treatments.” Worm pressure was also “higher than ever,” he said.
McLawhorn anticipates precision agriculture will play an increasingly important role in crop production. “Advantages include accurate delivery and accurate rate,” he said. “It is an excellent tool if used thoughtfully.
“Downside includes problems associated with poor sampling and interpolation which can cause uniformity problems. Potassium deficiency or over or under liming are also concerns. We also need a better understanding of variable rate nitrogen application. We need to see more widespread use of yield monitors,” he said.
McLawhorn said farmers need “more proven varieties for the Ignite system and more data on varieties before widespread use.”
