Prescriptions for Healthy Cotton
April 9, 2024 Cotton growers are approaching 2024 plantings with a mix of normal anticipation and continuing concern about production costs. Although the prices of some inputs — including nitrogen — have eased a bit, it’s fair to say that cost efficiencies and savings remain top of mind for many growers right now.
“The bad part about this year is that inputs are still high, but cotton prices are lower,” says Camp Hand, University of Georgia Extension Cotton Specialist. “So, one of the first things on growers’ minds is cutting costs and looking at ways to maximize their return on investment from the inputs they’re going to use.”
One of the natural targets is the fertility program. The challenge is finding the right balance between reducing nitrogen and maintaining yields. That, Hand says, begins with soil testing.
“If growers haven’t pulled a soil test by now, then they’re running behind,” he points out. “Making sure the pH is right is goal one, because if the pH is wrong, then everything else gets out of whack.”
Those test results are especially important for growers coming into a cotton year in a peanut rotation. Some growers bale their peanut hay, and that does impact the cotton fertility program.
“Peanuts are really good nitrogen scavengers, and growers will probably have to replace a bit more nitrogen for cotton following peanuts,” Camp says. “If the hay is left in the field, it helps the fertility program by adding organic matter and contributing to the NPK [nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium] in the soil.”
Current nitrogen recommendations in Georgia are still based on yield goals, using a split application of 25% to 30% of the nitrogen at planting or preplant, with the rest as a side dress between pinhead square and first bloom.
Exploring Other Options for Healthy Stands
Tyson Raper, University of Tennessee Extension Cotton Specialist, will tell you that growers in Tennessee face some challenges that make early season plant health somewhat difficult.
“From a plant physiology stand-point, I want to have a consistent, warm, and moist seed bed,” he says. “But because of our predominately no-till dryland environment, a lot of those things are out of our control.
“I can have a fairly consistent seed bed, but soil temperature and moisture are likely to be whatever the environment gives us. I definitely want to have a premium fungicide present and a premium insecticide. I don’t want any green bridge present and want to make sure that we’ve eliminated any green plant material, whether it be weeds or cover crops. I want it to be crispy when we get the planter into the field.”
Raper says crop management is so critical to helping growers manipulate the balance between reproductive and vegetative growth. He believes a little stress on the plant early can be beneficial to maintaining that balance.
“I’d like to have a little bit of a water deficit going into at least squaring — just enough that the plant will focus on reproduction, not building more tissue. It’s far better to let the plant begin the reproductive portion of its life, start squaring, and then get that big flush of nitrogen at the first fruiting branch. Since first position retention is important to the plant, apply nitrogen then to fill out those fruiting positions.
“There’s a big conversation around plant health, and I think it’s important to have,” Raper adds. “I want the healthiest seedling possible coming out of the ground. I want to make sure I’ve removed all those pests that could possibly be there. But applying and manipulating that stress is one of the best tools to naturally regulate that vegetative/reproductive balance and help limit the amount we’re going to have to spend on inputs later in the year.”
One of the tactics Raper has challenged growers to try — on at least a small portion of their farm acres — is to cut seeding rate by 20% and cut nitrogen back by 20%. It’s an option that may be uncomfortable for many growers. But hear Raper out on his reasoning.
“It is absolutely possible to put more seed and nitrogen out than we need and still attain the same yields as a substantially reduced seeding rate and reduced nitrogen,” he explains. “There are risks associated with both approaches. But looking at the reduced input scenario, if you’ve put less seed and nitrogen out, those plants are not going to compete with each other as much. They’re going to fruit lower on the plant. There’s going to be better light penetration through the canopy. We’re going to have more first position fruit retention. Our PGR needs later in the season are going to be much lower. Insecticide use is likely to be reduced, and our fruiting window will be shorter.
“Just by manipulating those two factors, we can really cut costs for the year. And there’s no better time to try these things than now in this economic environment.”
Raper acknowledges that it’s a hard change to make, and it’s not a fit for every grower. He knows it’s tough to walk a stand of two plants per row foot when a stand of three to four plants per foot definitely looks better. But at the end of the year, those two plants per foot generally have the same yield potential as those four plants with far less input risk and cost.
“Generally speaking, there is an opportunity for the average grower to see an increase in returns associated with slightly reducing seeding and nitrogen rates,” he says. “The savings are significant, the overall reduction of input costs is substantial, and it’s going to make your crop earlier.”
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