ACE Program Provides Timely Production Resources

By Jim Steadman|March 26, 2014

As a new crop season nears, cotton growers can tap into resources to help enhance their crop production decisions through the Advancing Cotton Education (ACE) program from the National Cotton Council (NCC).

Supported by the Cotton Foundation, ACE utilizes current technology for greater interactive information delivery. The program’s website uses audio and video clips to educate and/or demonstrate techniques or to identify situations of interest. The site’s many components include the Cotton Physiology Today newsletters, which have helped educate producers, consultants, county Extension agents and other students of the crop for more than two decades.

According to Bill Robertson, NCC manager of Agronomy, Soils & Physiology, the ACE components will vary as needs dictate and technology allows. The program will continue to rely on researchers and Extension cotton specialists to help develop information to share with the decision-making audience.

The site focuses on key seasonal issues including variety selection, stand establishment, early-season pest control, irrigation, plant monitoring, input termination, harvest aids and harvest management. A new Quick Links feature will help direct users to additional materials and websites related to the current key issue. Robertson said these links to other sites will “serve to make ACE the home of timely, informative and convenient information designed to meet specific needs in today’s fast-paced world.”