07/27/1995

King Cotton Dominates Auburn Field Day at Belle Mina

BELLE MINA, Ala. - Genetically engineered cotton, new ultra low rate pesticides, and cotton and soybean variety research highlighted a recent field day at the Tennessee Valley Substation here.

The field day, which was co-sponsored by the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station and Alabama Cooperative Extension Service at Auburn University, consisted of field tours of research plots and explanation of these projects by scientists at the Tennessee Valley Substation and by project leaders from Auburn University.

Aphids were a major problem earlier in the cotton cropping season, and Extension Entomologist Barry Freeman told the visitors too little is known about the actual damage these tiny insects do to a cotton crop. "The flare up of aphids this season is probably due to the 200,000 acre boll weevil eradication program, but we don't have a good handle on how much damage, in terms of yield and quality aphids cause. We are looking at several chemical control methods, including Bravado, which did a good job. However, it appears the biology of aphids will prevent real good control by chemical methods," Freeman explained.

Many visitors got their first look at Round-Up resistant cotton. Round-Up is a contact herbicide that kills a wide range of plants--including cotton. However, a resistant gene added to cotton makes it immune to the herbicide, while weeds competing with cotton plants are killed. Research at the Tennessee Valley Substation indicates an additional herbicide must be used to control morningglory, according to Chet Norris, interim superintendent of the Tennessee Valley Substation. Norris showed those attending the field day several combinations of herbicides used in the Round-Up resistant cotton at the 760-acre research facility.

Several herbicide treatments in conjunction with BXN cotton, which is genetically improved to have resistance to the herbicide Buctril, were shown during the field day. Auburn researcher Mike Patterson noted that Buctril does not have enough activity on sicklepod to control the troublesome weed. However BXN cotton treated with Buctril, plus 1.5 pounds per acre of Cotoran provided good sicklepod control and improved control on cocklebur, velvet leaf, and morningglory.

Patterson also showed the crowd results of weed control with Staple, a new, ultra low volume herbicide. Used at one ounce per acre, Staple did a good job on cocklebur, velvet leaf, and morningglory, but was weak on sicklepod. "I believe Staple will fit well with some of the older herbicides, and though growers in the future could go with a total postemergence program, most will probably want the insurance of Cotoran or other soil active materials," Patterson surmised.

Tests aimed at using new biological control methods for early season pithium and rhizoctonia-related diseases haven't fared as well as expected when disease pressure is high, according to Auburn researcher Shannon Huber. Under normal, low disease pressure, in relatively dry years, biological control products, like Kodiac, work as well as fungicides, but when disease pressure is high control fall off sharply, she explained.

Corn, soybean and cotton variety trials were also shown at the field day. Auburn researcher Kathy Glass, who heads Auburn's small grain variety testing program, urged growers to look at three-year averages of varieties and to know as much as possible about how each one fits into the farmer's cropping system. She pointed out that results of variety testing are published each year and are available by contacting county extension personnel or the Office of Research Information at Auburn.

Dub Webster, who will retire as Substation superintendent in September, noted that the large crowd in attendance at the field day is indicative of the continued interest in the research program at the Tennessee Valley Substation. "We have a few new projects that go in each year, but growers seem to be as interested in the variety testing and pest management work that has been ongoing at this station for many years," Webster noted.

-30-

News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
by Roy Roberson

July 27, 1995