Conventional Varieties Show Promise

Conventional Varieties Show Promise
     

Cotton Incorporated receives guidance from its producer Board of Directors, producers and importers on the Cotton Board and local Extension agents. But it also listens to you, the grassroots producer who works on the farm every day.

"When dealing with agriculture, the farming landscape constantly changes, and we respond to the needs of those for whom we work," says Dr. Don Jones, director of agricultural research, Cotton Incorporated.

For some growing regions, changes in pest complexes have made it feasible to use different varieties compared to what may have been used in the past.

source : cottonfarming

Boman says many producers

It's All About Options When Choosing Varieties

Tommy Horton

Boman says many producers are planting enough of a new variety in  on-farm trials to deliver several modules to a gin. The cotton is then processed, and yield and fiber properties are evaluated. Gins are providing that information back to producers, and many decisions are made as to whether a variety is acceptable.

All parties can also discuss the particular variety and eventually make a decision at the end of the season.

Boman echoes Evans' thoughts about the big investment that producers make on the front end of the season with their seed purchases. Not surprisingly, he says it's more important that producers determine what kinds of wilt diseases exist and if they have root knot nematodes in their fields before making such a huge investment in seed varieties.

source : cottonfarming

For example

It's All About Options When Choosing Varieties

Tommy Horton

For example, verticillium wilt and nematode outbreaks have become serious. Boman says producers should look for "hot spots" in their fields and be able to identify those problem areas and work with Extension officials.

"Some of the newer Flex varieties coming out don't necessarily have a high degree of verticillium wilt tolerance," he says. "Producers need to identify those problems."

Verticillium wilt is typically more serious in the northern High Plains, but is also problematic in the southern counties. However, the sandier soils tend to translate into root knot nematode and fusarium wilt problems in the southern area of the High Plains. Knowing about these problems should be a part of the decision-making process for farmers as they conduct their on-farm variety trials.

source : cottonfarming

As good as the seed varieties are for cotton

It's All About Options When Choosing Varieties

Tommy Horton

As good as the seed varieties are for cotton, there has been a slight drop in cotton acreage in the High Plains, but it is considerably smaller than what is happening in other parts of the Belt.

That might explain why High Plains farmers still like to have a crop mix that is compatible with cotton. For instance, Evans has always split his acreage evenly between grain sorghum and cotton, and that isn't likely to change anytime soon.

"That's the way I've always done it, and I'm can't envision doing it any differently in the future," he says.

source : cottonfarming

Evans is also a prime example

It's All About Options When Choosing Varieties

Tommy Horton

Evans is also a prime example of why it's better to plant several different varieties. From a yield performance standpoint, most Extension specialists always recommend having a diverse mix of cotton varieties.

In Evans' case, that will result in a probable variety mix in 2010 that includes FiberMax, Delta & Pine Land, All-Tex, PhytoGen and NexGen.

Another consideration for producers as they choose varieties is the financial investment made in seed purchases at the beginning of the season.

"The front-end investment in seed is pretty important," says Evans. "And there is no doubt that there is a lot of pressure. It's another example of what we face when growing cotton in Texas."


source : cottonfarming

That usually means he has test

It's All About Options When Choosing Varieties

Tommy Horton

That usually means he has test trials on his own farm so that he can gain a firsthand view of the variety's performance. There is also the information to be gained from various Texas AgriLife Research and Extension trials conducted in the region.

Evans, current president of Plains Cotton Growers Association, says there was a time many years ago when he could observe a new variety for three or four years before making a decision. Given today's shelf life for some varieties and economic pressures, it's hard for any producer to wait that long before making a final decision.

Still, for a farmer such as Evans who evenly splits his 2,200 acres between cotton and grain sorghum, it pays to have a good mix of several cotton varieties every year.


source : cottonfarming

Sutton also notes that the Lubbock gin is a six

All-New Gin Boasts Highest Capacity In Texas

Thomas D. Valco
USDA-ARS
Stoneville, Miss    

Sutton also notes that the Lubbock gin is a six "less 1" layout that gives the customer the ability to grow into a full six-stand plant. The facility is laid out for additional overhead cleaning and an additional gin line and lint-cleaning group to be installed at a later date to expand the capacity of the plant.

And what is the customer reaction to this new High Plains' landmark? "We had a meeting before we ever started this project, and every producer and landlord who was there voted unanimously to move forward," Butman says.

"We don't have a crystal ball to predict what the government programs will look like in the future, but based on our history, economically in West Texas there is not a better crop right now than cotton," Kennedy adds. "And, again, with the size plant that we have built, if we have good years and are ginning between 80,000 and 100,000 bales, that's when this gin is really going to shine."

source : cottonfarming