THOUGHTS ABOUT COTTON

THOUGHTS ABOUT COTTON

As the fall in coming in and we start preparing to harvest our crops including cotton I was wondering what to write and decided to share some thoughts on cotton.  Cotton is unique among most crops, in Cotton Quality often dictates the bottom line, but there also has to be quantity to the acre.  When I first came to Eddy County ACLA cotton was king.  It was and still is the highest quality cotton that is not long staple cotton (Pima).  The difference in quality in pricing outweighed the difference in yield.  In simple words ACLA produced a lower yield per acre but because of its quality it produced more dollars per acre than other verities.  When in college I lived next to Professor Staten who was one of the plant breeders that created ACLA-1517 cotton.  He taught me a lot about cotton, he had retired a few years before but in his garden he still grew and selected cotton.  ACLA 1517 was the longest staple and strongest staple in an upland verity and was originally (1920’s) grown for Goodyear tire company for tire cord, after WWII was replaced by nylon and then by steal.  The point I am going to is ACLA 1517 was public genome because it was developed by NMSU (NM A&Ma). It was available for anyone to cross to.  A study on cotton genetics by Clemson University showed that 80% of the world’s cotton, has ACLA 1517 genetics.  With GMO we now have varieties that yield more and are close to the quality of ACLA 1517. So the difference in quality no longer has the income advantages it once had.  Verities with ACLA 1517 genetics produce a exceptionable quality at a higher quantity and the difference in quality is now to small to make up the difference. 

That said, quality still plays an important part of the bottom line.  Growers need to preserve or make an effort to harvest the highest quality of cotton possible with the highest yield possible to be economically stable. The newer classing (1995) High Volume Instrumentation makes this possible.  I remember when classing was done by a person looking and pulling on a sample, now it is all done by machine.  No matter how it’s done cotton is graded on Staple length, Strength, Uniformity and Maturity.  The objective of the grower is to get the highest quantity with the highest quality as measured by these parameters.  Of course it starts out before planting with variety selection, fertilization, irrigation, with proper weed and insect control.  Growth regulator may or may not be need depending on the above.   Normal leaf drop will start at 130 days or so post planting.  A lot of research has gone into this and Dr. Kater Hake of the National Cotton Council has come up with a good easy to use system.  Dr. Hake was a former NMSU agronomist in cotton. 

Defoliation prepares the crop for harvest and preserves quality.  Boll set occurs about 45 days after first bloom and a new node develops about every 3 days.  There is a lot written about mapping and physiology of the cotton plant but what it come down to is at 4 nodes above the crack boll is going to be your peak in quality and additional quantity in the top bolls will not make up the difference in return per acre.  If you wait on the top crop to mature the reduction in quality will be greater than your return in volume.  I think this will be confirmed to you the grower as you go out and cut bolls and calculate percent open.   I have had a number of producers confirm this.  You go out to the field look for the highest first position boll that you can see a little bit of white fiber and count the number of node above it.  At five nodes above crack boll, start planning your defoliation date and boll opener application.  By the time you get it planned and in motion you will be at 4 nodes above cracked boll.   For more information see: National Cotton Council Preserving Quality from seed to harvest; http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_a/A240.pdf NMSU Harvest aid Chemical for NM Cotton.  Subscribe to Eddy County Ag news at: http://nmsueddyag.blogspot.com/  Eddy County Extension Service, New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator.  All programs are available to everyone regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  New Mexico State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Eddy County Government Cooperating.