Thinking Ahead on Cotton Varieties

With your Southeast Regional Ag News, I am Haylie Shipp. This is the Ag Information Network.

Well as we get into today's program, we are talking exclusively about cotton although I think it's probably a rule that could be transferred across different crops: make sure your variety matches up to your environment. As we start to make choices here for 2024, that is a lesson coming from Matt Foster, assistant professor and former cotton, corn, and grain sorghum specialist for the Louisiana State University Ag Center.

“Plant a variety that's adapted to your region that you have data on from, you know, university and seed companies for that particular region. So I also (encourage) to hire a high quality product crop consultant to help manage your crop. That's very important. Again going back to varieties,you want to match your variety selection with your fertility and your plant growth regulator recommendations, your program, what herbicide traits are going to best fit your farm as far as what if you have any resistant weed issues, things of that nature. I always encourage growers to plant multiple varieties built based on soil type, whether the ground is going to be irrigated or non-irrigated. Not put all your eggs in one basket, spread your risk by planting multiple varieties.”

Again Matt Foster, Louisiana State University.