Planting Date<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nCotton plants require a long growing season and warm temperatures to be\nproductive. When a grower makes the decision to plant, he or she must consider\nthe best time to do so. Using a five-day forecast and soil temperature\nguidelines can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Planting when the soil temperature is ideal can ensure that the seeds\ngerminate and establish a healthy stand within the planting window, which is\nimportant in minimizing the risk of plant damage from herbicides and\/or insect\npests. Ideally, cotton should be planted when soil temperatures are 68\u00b0F or\nhigher, and the overnight lows are expected to be 62\u00b0F or lower for the five\ndays following planting. This combination of conditions allows for quick\nemergence and minimizes the risk of crusting in clay or sandy soils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s also recommended that a field scout be conducted prior to\nestablishing the crop to identify and control weeds that may impact yield\npotential. In addition, it is a good idea to use an herbicide that is safe for\ncotton and will not harm the seedling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once the crop is planted, it will take approximately 160 days from\nplanting to harvest. During this time, the bolls will develop and expand, and\nthe lint will be separated from the stalk. This can be challenging, especially\nwhen weather conditions are not conducive to crop harvesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To prepare for a successful harvest, growers should ensure their\nequipment is ready. This includes making sure that the harvester is free from\nany mechanical problems and that it is in good condition. Using a pesticide\nsprayer that is properly calibrated will also help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lastly, it is important to consider the effect that the timing of\nrainfall throughout the summer will have on the quality and quantity of the\ncotton crop. Although high yields have been recorded in late-planted cotton, it\nis impossible to predict how much rain will be received over the summer and\nwhether or not it will reward early-planted crops more than later-planted ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seeding Rates<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nCotton is a relatively expensive crop to produce and requires a\nsignificant investment in planting. High seed costs, numerous varieties to\nchoose from, and a long season add to this cost. Managing the crop effectively\nthroughout the growing cycle will maximize yield potential and minimize costs.\nThe ability of the crop to grow well and reach maturity is a key factor in the\nfinal amount of lint produced per acre. Weather and soil conditions will also majorly\naffect the final lint production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The best cotton crops are grown with adequate levels of moisture during\nthe boll formation and maturation stages. Too little or too much moisture\nduring this time can severely reduce the crop\u2019s yield potential. Similarly,\nexcessive temperatures and sunlight can cause the plant to become stressed and\nwill reduce the number of open bolls and yield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is important to understand the cotton variety and planting rate\nrequirements for your area. Choosing the right varieties will set you up for\nsuccess this year. You will need to match the right plant population and\nseeding rates with your field, soil type, and irrigation capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When planting, the goal is to have a healthy, vibrant stand free from\npest damage. A poor stand can quickly reduce lint yields and may lead to an\nunfavorable crop. Scouting and monitoring the crop early is critical to\nidentifying problems as they develop and taking corrective action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A high-quality, certified seed will give you the best chance for a\nsuccessful stand. Seed should be planted no deeper than 1 inch in soft, moist\nsoils to promote quick emergence and reduce the risk of crusting or disease.\nPre-plant burndown herbicide applications will provide a pest-free seedbed\nenvironment and help control weeds that can compete with the cotton plant for\nnutrients and water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the last few years, plant density trials in southwestern Oklahoma\nand the Rolling and High Plains regions have shown that within the optimal\nrange of 1.5 to 4.5 plants per row ft. in 40-inch rows (about 26,000 to 52,000\nseeds\/acre), many plants will reach harvestable bolls. However, achieving this\ntarget requires a combination of extreme faith in the vacuum planter, good soil\nconditions, and seed quality at planting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Soil Preparation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nCotton requires firm, loose, weed-free soil that is not too deep to\nfacilitate plant growth. The ideal seedbed is sandy loam or better, with a low\nclay layer that allows roots to penetrate the water table. Deep tillage or bed\npreparation is not recommended on this type of soil due to the risk of crusting\nand harrowing, which can limit root development and crop emergence. However,\nreduced tillage may be desirable on heavily infested cotton ground or fields\nwith a history of root rot problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deep tillage also reduces the ability of cotton to accumulate and hold\nsufficient moisture. As a result, producers must monitor field conditions\nclosely and plant adequate moisture levels for germination and emergence. Attempting\nto chase moisture by planting deeper can result in poor stand establishment and\nherbicide injury, especially if the initial rains contain significant amounts\nof herbicide residuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In no-till situations, optimum planting depth is often achieved by bedding\nthe rows 4-6 weeks before planting into a cover crop or old crop residue that\nprovides warmth and moisture to the soil surface. This method of planting is\nmore effective in breaking up developing compaction zones and allowing for\noptimal soil-to-seed contact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Soil condition at the time of boll opening is an important factor in the\nquality and value of lint fiber. Insufficient sunshine and moisture can reduce\nthe number of open bolls, while excessive rainfall at this point can reduce\nyield and increase weediness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harvest-aid products during the ginning process are critical for a\nsuccessful cotton harvest. These chemicals help remove leaves from the plant\nand allow the bolls to be separated without too much \u201cstickiness,\u201d which can\nreduce lint value significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The defoliation timing is important because a good defoliant will help\nreduce the amount of leaf material present in the harvested lint. The quality\nof the defoliant and weather conditions at the time of harvest are also\nimportant factors in determining the success of the harvest-aid treatment.\nIdeally, a desiccant should be applied 7 to 10 days before harvest to provide\nmaximum effectiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Irrigation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA successful cotton crop requires timely irrigation. It takes time for\ncotton to ripen and for a boll to open, so the longer the plant stays in the\nfield, the more it will be exposed to weather conditions that can impact fiber\ncharacteristics such as strength, length, and micronaire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is why irrigating at the right time is important to avoid excessive\nwater stress. According to Paul DeLaune, an environmental soil scientist at\nTexas A&M AgriLife Research in Chillicothe, reducing the amount of\nirrigation applied to cotton early in the season can help save a significant\namount of energy used to pump water to the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When deciding how much water to apply and when it\u2019s important to consider\nthe water needs of the entire cotton crop and the available groundwater supply.\nA study at the AgriLife Research-Chillicothe Station found that a well-timed,\ndeficit irrigation strategy can maximize crop yield and reduce water use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The study, which was presented on Aug. 30 at the Rolling Plains Summer\nField Day, analyzed the effects of different irrigation termination dates on\ncotton yield and crop water use efficiency (IWUE). Using a modeled crop water\nuse index, it was found that an 85% ET-replacement strategy with deficit\/excess\nwater management resulted in the best performance for cotton yield and IWUE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DeLaune also discussed the benefits of utilizing sensor-based irrigation\nscheduling tools to improve irrigation application and scheduling decisions.\nThese tools can be used to identify the optimum watering rate for cotton based\non soil moisture levels and other weather conditions. In addition, these tools\ncan be used to determine the appropriate sizing of equipment for optimal\noperation and minimize weed populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another tool that can be used to minimize weeds in cotton is the use of a\npre-emergence herbicide. When weeds are properly controlled, they will not\ncompete with the crop for nutrients and water, and this can lead to greater\nyields. Utilizing a seed treatment product that can protect against\nearly-season diseases, nematodes, and difficult insects is also beneficial.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Cotton has historically been a labor-intensive crop. In fact, before IH\u2019s success in the cotton combine, growers had to hand-pick fields three to four times each season. According to Certi-Pik, USA, row spacing should be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55,79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28997","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-environment","category-everyday-life"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reliablecounter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28997"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reliablecounter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reliablecounter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reliablecounter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reliablecounter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28997"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.reliablecounter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28997\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29001,"href":"https:\/\/www.reliablecounter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28997\/revisions\/29001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reliablecounter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reliablecounter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reliablecounter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}