Alabama Cotton Shorts
November 15, 2022
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November 15, 2022
Situation. The November 9 USDA Crop Production report forecasted a yield of 904 lb/A for Alabama, which is more than 60 lbs better than the prior months. We think that number is still low and are hopeful that we will achieve an overall average of at least 950 lb/A. USDA also estimated that as of November 13, we were 81 percent harvested, which is over 10 percent more than the recent 5-year average for this date. Fiber quality, at least in terms of color grade, is exceptional, and other factors are solidly GOOD. Both yield and quality have been aided significantly by weeks of open fall weather, great for picking and maintaining excellent fiber properties. Recent years have included the opposite, and we have almost forgotten what favorable fall conditions can do for our crop.
There’s not much to say about price except that December cotton futures continue to be on a wild roller coaster ride but, unfortunately, nearer the bottom than the top. Brown
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Great fall weather boosts yield and quality.
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Futures Price November 15, 2022, at market midday:
December '22 - 88.74
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Auburn University Variety Trial data can be accessed at https://aaes.auburn.edu/variety-tests/
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Shallow Hardpans Robbing NE Alabama Growers Yield and Profit. Cotton growers spend a great deal of time looking at their crop above the ground, but how often do they examine the engine that drives the plant and yield -- the root system? Unfortunately, most give little consideration for what is below ground, including the presence of compacted layers and the related effects on root development. It is like champion NASCAR driver Jimmy Johnson pulling in for a pit stop and telling his crew, “No need looking under the hood, just clean the windows.”
Growers should plan on inspecting root systems and soil conditions after harvest to check for hardpans.
I frequently encounter hardpans 3 to 4 inches deep, and it is robbing Northeast Alabama growers of yield and profit in all row crops (cotton, corn, soybeans and wheat). These shallow hardpans more severely restrict root growth and often cause greater yield losses than deeper hardpans common in sandy soils. The good news is that shallow hardpans are much easier to correct; they require less horsepower and fuel to overcome since subsoiling is needed only to depths of 6 to 10 inches (just enough to break the hardpan) as compared to greater depths for compaction often seen in sandy conditions. The objective is to subsoil directly beneath the row to get the maximum benefit.
This past winter I examined several cotton fields with Rich Lindsey in Cherokee County, and we identified some with serious hardpan issues. Rich and Brent Tidwell were kind enough to participate in a simple trial. In a site in in which they subsoiled the majority of the field, they left scattered rows untilled (no in-row subsoiling). Recently, we harvested the trial and the subsoiled rows produced 1,469 versus 1,326 lbs/A on those not subsoiled -- a 10 percent yield difference. That is $126 more per acre at the cotton price of 88 cents per pound as I write this article.
A restricted root system limits the area the plant can take up nutrients, and with sky-high fertilizer prices, growers need to get every dollar’s worth of possible nutrients. Plants with constricted roots are more susceptible to drought as the roots cannot get to subsoil moisture, and hardpans make rainfall or irrigation more likely to runoff rather than penetrate to the subsoil. Limited, restricted root systems also magnify problems associated with nematodes or nutrient deficiencies. McGriff
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A couple of simple ways to assess soil compaction and root growth -- a soil probe or a shovel.
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Summary of the 2022 Cotton Insect Situation. We certainly had some challenging situations through the cotton production season in Alabama in 2022. From severe drought in some areas, to excessive rainfall in others, weather played a major role in the in-season management of the crop. Even so, we expect to finish with a very good cotton crop in 2022. We have heard several reports of 3 or more bales per acre being picked and expect our state average to be around 900 lbs. According to data from the USDA, Alabama planted just over 425,000 acres of cotton this year.
Overall, insects were not a major yield limiting factor for Alabama cotton in 2022. Many fields required multiple applications, as the statewide average was about 5 applications per acre. However, thanks to proper scouting and the use of thresholds, the overall reduction of production caused by insects is estimated to only be 2.9 percent.
To start the season, grasshoppers required attention on many fields across Alabama, particularly on sandier, well-drained soils and those under reduced or no-till strategies. No losses are expected from grasshopper feeding as insecticides applied at-burndown or at-planting are generally effective in controlling populations and preventing economic losses.
For two seasons in a row, thrips pressure was higher in later planted cotton. Most of our cotton acres received foliar treatments to supplement at-plant insecticides (seed treatments or in-furrows). In many cases, the biggest concern around making foliar thrips sprays was the risk of flaring spider mites. In dry pockets, many farmers elected to use materials that are less harsh on beneficial insects, even at a slightly higher price point. Other pests such as slugs, snails or cutworms were observed and reported in a few fields but rarely at economic levels during the early season.
As the cotton crop began squaring in June, many producers across the state started dealing with two-spotted spider mites. In many cases, spider mites were worse in fields that received a thrips spray with a disruptive chemical, but that was not always the case. As we have shifted to reduced/no-till systems and started adopting more cover crops, early season spider mites have become a more consistent issue. This shift in combination with hot, dry weather can quickly cause a spider mite outbreak, even if everything has been done “right” in the field all season long. While losses to spider mites were low, some fields required multiple applications to keep populations from causing economic damage.
Another pest that farmers had to deal with during this time was the tarnished plant bug. Adult plant bugs infest cotton in June, at the on-set of pinhead squares. In general, plant bug pressure was lower in 2022 than in 2021. Many reports during the squaring season were that adult populations only required one application to maintain adequate square retention. In general, adult plant bug pressure was higher in earlier planted cotton, as these fields were the most attractive as adults were migrating from weedy hosts.
As cotton matured into the blooming window in July and August, the bug complex required most of the insect attention. Immature plant bugs, deposited as eggs by migrating adults in June, begin appearing around first bloom each year. In some areas of Alabama, this population was difficult to control, mostly due to issues complicated by weather. Insecticide wash-off was a major concern in areas of SW Alabama where rainfall was abundant. In addition to wash-off, many farmers were unable to apply plant growth regulators in a timely manner because fields were too wet to get sprayers in. This resulted in rank cotton, which is attractive to plant bugs and, in many cases, getting the insecticide to the plant bugs was difficult. Immature plant bugs prefer to feed on larger squares. When these squares are hidden down in the canopy, getting insecticide coverage is difficult, regardless of the choice of chemical, adequate control is rarely achieved in just one application. In these situations, and in other many areas of Alabama, plant bugs required multiple applications during the blooming window for control.
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The other player in the bug complex, stink bugs, are annually the most yield limiting insect pest in Alabama. This season, stink bugs were not as prevalent as normal. Based on observations in corn, we expected a much higher than usual stink bug season in cotton, as nearly all stink bugs that infest cotton turn over a generation in corn first. As corn began to silk, large populations of adult stink bugs were mating, and high numbers of egg masses were observed. However, the hot, dry conditions in June that hurt corn also appeared to harm stink bugs. The subsequent population that moved from corn to cotton was not as large as anticipated and many fields only required one application to manage this pest.
Other pests, such as aphids, silverleaf whiteflies and clouded plant bugs were observed in fields at low levels, but none were reported to reach treatment or economic levels. In general, the bollworm flight was relatively light, and our 2- and 3-gene cotton varieties provided very good control of bollworms and other caterpillar pests.
In summary, the Alabama Cotton Insect Situation was highly variable in the 60 counties that produced cotton in the state in 2022. The situation changes from week to week and field to field, making scouting and monitoring critical for maximizing profitability. As we head into the winter, we will continue to evaluate insect management strategies to determine how we can tweak our system to effectively manage and keep losses to insects low. Graham and Smith
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Alabama Row Crops Short Course
December 13-14, Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center
Information and Registration
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In the Old Days… Dr. Ron Smith recently reminisced about his growing up days in Lawrence County and recalled his experiences picking cotton; that is, HAND PICKING cotton. He claimed -- and we can vouch for him that he is generally an honest, straight-shooting guy -- that when he was 6 years old he could pick 100 lbs of (seed) cotton per day, and that on one long day when he was 16, he weighed his total at 551 lbs. He conceded that on most days his number was closer to 250 to 275 lbs.
He also shared with some Auburn pride that in 1996 he was the guest speaker at a school in South Alabama and was challenged to a picking contest. Dr. Smith was pitted against the superintendent of the county school system who had huge hands but little experience, and the challenge was no contest. Dr. Smith won easily.
He offered the following tips for how to maximize weights for a day at hand picking. Thinking about this, how thankful we are for the modern 6-row cotton picker, which is a reminder of a not very famous book about the impact of the mechanical cotton picker, The Second Great Emancipation, by Donald Holley, published in 2000.
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Simple Rules for Hand Picking Cotton
Ron Smith 9/9/96
1. Do not ever place two hands on the same boll.
2. If a boll or burs come off with the lint--put it in your sack.
3. Do not reach for the same boll but one time - if you miss a lock - leave it.
4. Fill both hands to capacity before combining all cotton into the right hand for placing into picksack. (Assuming you are right handed).
5. The left hand begins picking again while right hand is placing cotton into picksack.
6. Alternate focusing on the right and left hand as they reach for additional bolls.
7. A hand picker may carry one, two or three, rows at once. Two is standard for adults and one for children.
8. Have a weigh-up when you have picked 30 to 50 lbs. Pulling more than 50 lbs in a sack reduces the effectiveness of the picker.
9. Keep the majority of the cotton shook or packed in the bottom of the sack.
10. Do not gaze at the sky, stop to chat with a person on a nearby row or take a break to sit on your sack. This could lead to a scolding from an elder, if you are a youngster.
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Cotton Garments for Christmas? In past years my wife and I have made two purchases from a high-end catalog company that caters to those frequenting the outdoors. They sell expensive stuff so our prizes have been limited to one cotton sweater shirt for me and a fancy dog bed for my high dollar spaniel, who as my wife says, “is the gift that keeps on giving (and requiring more and more $).” We continue to receive their catalogs but decline to buy the $98 shirts, etc. In their recent Christmas offerings, they advertised garments made from recycled material, even boldly declaring how many plastic bottles it took to make a jacket and vest. The thought of wearing plastic bottles doesn’t appeal to me in the least! But, to each his own. While I may have a couple of polyester fleece shirts, almost everything else is cotton. I want to buy and wear cotton.
As the Christmas season approaches and the time for gift-giving comes with it, think about cotton. The National Cotton Board has a great resource through the Fabric of Our Lives campaign. They provide a list of retailers selling cotton products for households and for everyday wear. Check it out at the following link: https://thefabricofourlives.com/shop. Brown
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This issue contributors:
Dr. Scott Graham, Extension Entomologist
Eddie McGriff, Regional Extension Agent, Agronomic Crops
Dr. Ron Smith, Professor Emeritus, Extension Entomologist
Dr. Steve M. Brown, Extension Cotton Agronomist (Editor) typos and mistakes are mine
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About the Alabama Cotton Shorts Newsletter
Alabama Cotton Shorts is a newsletter designed to keep cotton producers in the know. From planting dates to crop inputs—there are many factors to consider. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System is dedicated to providing science- and research-based information, derived from field experience and observations. A team of Extension specialists are working to provide Alabama farmers with timely information throughout the growing and harvest seasons.
By subscribing to the newsletter you will receive pest updates, weed management suggestions, market updates, industry news, and other information. Specialists are making field observations and reporting their findings in hopes of helping producers make more informed choices in the field.
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