08/16/1991

Cotton Field Day at the Gulf Coast Substation

FAIRHOPE, Ala.—The best time to plant cotton in the Gulf Coast region of Alabama appears to be mid-April, according to researchers participating in a Cotton Field Day and Farm Tour at the Gulf Coast Substation in Fairhope.

The Field Day, which was held Aug. 9, offered a chance for producers to hear results of studies conducted at the Substation, an outlying research unit of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station at Auburn University.

"We started cotton work here about four years ago and it has proved to be very timely," said Emmett Carden, superintendent of the Substation.

According to Mike Patterson, assistant professor in Auburn University's Department of Agronomy and Soils who has been conducting cotton planting date studies at the Substation, cotton acreage has greatly increased in the Gulf Coast region during the last few years.

"There were 600 acres here in 1988 and there are now 7,000 to 8,000 acres planted in cotton," Patterson told the gathering of about 50 people. He said planting date studies were instituted in 1988 to determine the best planting dates for cotton and to see if Pix growth regulator provided any yield advantages in the region.

Results showed that the mid-April planting date generally provided the highest yields for the long-season variety Deltapine 90 cotton. "The April planting date produced the highest yields in 1988 and 1989, while both the April and May dates provided good yields in 1990. The use of Pix did not help much except for late plantings in wet years," said Patterson.

Patterson is currently working on a study including both short- and long-season cotton varieties (Deltapine 20 and 90) using skip row and solid row plantings at various planting dates.

Wiley Johnson, professor of agronomy and soils at Auburn, discussed the variety trials underway at the Substation. He noted that there are nine cotton variety trials being conducted at various locations throughout the state. The variety trial at the Gulf Coast Substation is in its third year. Results indicate that Deltapine 90, DES 119, HS46 and KC 31, which have all produced more than 1,000 pounds of lint yield per acre, look good for the area.

Johnson added that growers should consider more than yield when choosing a variety. He said cotton buyers are placing more emphasis on lint characteristics and demanding stronger lint from growers.

Ron Smith, professor of entomology at Auburn, talked about the current insect populations on cotton in the Gulf Coast area. He said that boll worms have been light so far this year, though they may increase before the season is complete. Army worms have not produced any economic damage so far this year and sucking insects have shown no real excessive build ups. But, he noted, growers should keep a close eye on the insect situation and treat when needed for whatever pests they find.

Following the research presentations and a tour of the research plots, participants visited three local grower's fields and had a chance to visit with both researchers and extension personnel.

Others on the program were David Teem, associate director of the Experiment Station; Keith Edmisten, assistant professor of agronomy and soils; and Ed Tunnell, Extension coordinator in Baldwin County.

The Field Day and Farm Tour was co-sponsored by the Experiment Station and the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service.

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By:
Katie Smith