Farm & Ranch
[AgriLife Today] Cotton variety trial results reflect season’s ups, downs in East, South Texas
By: Kay Ledbetter
Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, [email protected]
Contact: Dr. Gaylon Morgan, 979-845-2425, [email protected]
COLLEGE STATION – The 2016 Replicated Agronomic Cotton Evaluation or RACE trial results from South and East Texas are in and reflect the extremes of the past season, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist.
“We had many regions with superb yield and quality, while other regions suffered tremendously from excessive late-season rainfall,” said Dr. Gaylon Morgan, AgriLife Extension state cotton specialist in College Station.
“Hopefully, the current prices will hold or improve as we move into the 2017 season, and the 2016 RACE trial results will provide producers some guidance on variety selection,” Morgan said.
The 2017 season provides producers with more herbicide-tolerant technologies in varieties than anytime in the past, including GlyTol, LibertyLink, RoundupFlex, XtendFlex and Enlist cotton systems, he said.
“This is a good thing from a weed management perspective, and yields and fiber quality are comparable across these technologies,” Morgan said. “However, the number of choices can be a bit overwhelming, especially to some of our new growers in 2017.
“Where farmers have high populations of glyphosate-resistant weeds, the LibertyLink, XtendFlex and Enlist cotton systems provide great value. In fields with low levels of glyphosate-resistant weeds, the GlyTol and RoundupFlex systems are still a great fit when paired with residual herbicides.”
Morgan said variety decisions should start with the agronomic characters such as yield, maturity and fiber quality first and transgenic technology second.
The AgriLife Extension cotton agronomy team of Morgan, Dr. Josh McGinty, agronomist in Corpus Christi; Dale Mott, program specialist in College Station; and Clint Livingston, technical assistant in Corpus Christi, has been conducting large-plot, on-farm, replicated variety trials for 11 years in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Blacklands, South Texas/ Wintergarden and Upper Coastal regions, with collaboration from growers and AgriLife Extension county agents.
“This approach provides a good foundation of information that can be utilized to assist the variety selection process,” Morgan said. “These trials occur on producers’ farms and are managed by the producers.”
He said 19 RACE trials and many small-plot variety trials were planted in 2016 and the results are available at http://Cotton.tamu.edu. Results include yield, fiber quality and estimated lint value for each location, as well as rankings based upon lint yield for the varieties within a production region.
“Yields across the Lower Rio Grande Valley and Coastal Bend were very good this season with good early season moisture and some timely rains during the season,” Morgan said. “Also, weather was not much of a hindrance to harvest, unlike the Upper Gulf Coast and Blacklands.
“In the Upper Gulf Coast and Blackland regions, the trials represent below-average yields, which were common in 2016. Most of these lower yields were due to very saturated conditions between planting and early bloom followed by an extended dry period throughout boll fill, followed by an extended wet period in mid-August and into September, which decreased yield, fiber quality and seed quality.”
The average non-irrigated yields for the 2016 RACE trials ranged from 1,425 pounds per acre for Nueces County to 421 pounds per acre for the Delta County location. Mean irrigated location yields ranged from 2,129 pounds per acre for the Hidalgo County location to 968 pounds per acre for the Fort Bend County location.
Morgan said when selecting cotton varieties, several key factors should be considered before planting.
“Producers need to gather as much unbiased yield and fiber quality data as possible from their area and beyond,” he said. “Some varieties are widely adapted, while others perform well under more specific growing conditions and situations.”
Also, Morgan said, select the herbicide- and insect-tolerant traits that best fit the expected challenges for 2017.
“Seed and technologies fees for the newer herbicide and insect traits are usually more expensive,” he said. “If you don’t need these traits, then many varieties with older trait packages are still competitive in yield and quality.”
For more information, contact Morgan at [email protected] or 979-845-2425 or McGinty at [email protected] or 361-265-9203.
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By: Martha Crump
Most cattle producers can tell you quite a lot about balancing cattle diets for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals based on the specific needs for their herd and type of operation.
A key factor, and one that is often overlooked, is that how your animals perform is also directly affected by their water intake.
Now many of you may already be thinking “well of course water is necessary, anybody knows that!”
In many years, as September marches into October, we are beginning to experience some return of rainfall. But as many of us know, that is not always the case. Often we are still experiencing hot and dry weather, and water supplies are dwindling.
When we find ourselves experiencing those types of fall conditions, it is critical to not only understand the daily water requirements for cattle, but also the impact that the quality of water can have on herd health and development.
To read more, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Tony Dean
Since their introduction to the U.S. in the early 1900s, Old World Bluestems such as King Ranch bluestem and Dahl bluestem have become established on farms and ranches from the Rio Grande to Nebraska. With such a wide range of adaptability, these species are subjected to a wide range of management, depending on location and the goals of the rancher.
Due to the aggressive nature of OWBs, producers in far South Texas have been trying to find a way to eradicate OWBs in their pastures. Texas AgriLife Extension bulletin “Introduced Bluestem Grasses: Management on Native Lands” describes several methods being used in the effort to rid pastures of OWBs. In 2016, one project involved using chemicals, plowing, mowing, reseeding, summer burning, and combinations of these practices.
To read the about the researchers findings and hear Tony’s take, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Rayford Pullen
Watching our pastures over the years, I have noticed our forages quit growing when nighttime temperatures begin hitting that 45-degree mark, and in North Texas, that will usually be around October 20.
While growth stops, our forages will still be high quality which allows our momma cows to gain weight for another 40 days or so.
Getting these cows in better condition is key to getting them through the winter and breeding after they calve.
Read more in the October issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available online and in print. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive NTFR in your inbox each week.
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