The typical delayed planting spring did not occur this year. This is good news from a goosegrass management standpoint as it has cut down on the number of fields that crop scouts and producers find infested with large goosegrass. We are all well versed that there are few good answers when goosegrass gets big. Continue reading
The MidSouth Cotton Specialists’ Working Group has just released the 2026 Cotton Variety Guide for Plant Growth Regulation and a more in-depth publication entitled Plant growth regulator use in Mid-South Cotton.
A common weed question recently is how to control volunteer canola in double crop soybean. We do not have research on this “new” problem. Fortunately, my colleague, Dr. Joe Ikley of North Dakota State University, has good information on what herbicides work best. His research indicates that auxin herbicides like 2,4-D are rated poor for control of volunteer canola.
Fomesafen (Prefix, Reflex, Flexstar, etc.) is rated as excellent on volunteer canola control. This provides growers with an option that is readily available, relatively inexpensive and can provide residual pigweed control.
Liberty is also rated very high on volunteer canola. However, this will be incorrect if the volunteer canola is a Liberty Link variety.
Plant bug numbers are increasing across the landscape, and squaring applications are right around the corner. Silking corn, blooming soybeans, and flowering weeds all contribute to large increases in plant bug populations that eventually move into both ThryvOn and non-ThryvOn cotton. Continue reading
JACKSON, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture will host the annual Weed Tour June 17 at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center. The guided tour will feature 40 weed management research tests in cotton, corn and soybean.
Weed Tour runs from 9 – 11:30 a.m., with registration opening at 8:30 a.m. A light breakfast will be served. Continue reading
UT’s Soybean Scout Schools will be held in June and July (see details below). These field-side programs cover the basics of soybean growth, scouting, pest identification, and general management. Pesticide recertification and CCA CEU points will be available. Scout Schools are offered free of charge with sponsorship from the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Board. Registration is not required. Participants will receive a scouting notebook and a sweep net while supplies last.
West TN – Lake County, June 24th, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. This school will be held at 300 Headden Drive Ridgely, TN 38080. Signs will be up to direct you to the field. Contact Charlie Jo Archie for more information. 731-592-9899, chasarch@utk.edu. Please RSVP by June 21st.
West TN – McNairy County, July 15th, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. This school will be held in McNairy County (address forthcoming). Signs will be up to direct you to the field. Contact Jon Williams for more information. 731-645-3598, johdwill@utk.edu.
Middle TN – Cannon County, July 16th, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. This school will be held in Cannon County (address forthcoming). Signs will be up to direct you to the field. Contact Jared Franklin for more information. 615-563-2554, jfrank57@utk.edu.
I planted my first cotton trial this year on April 13th. That trial protocol specifically requested an early plant date into adverse conditions. But with the temperatures and general lack of rainfall in the forecast through the second and third weeks of April, we continued planting. Here on the 14th day of May, my crew has only a few small and large plot trials remaining before we get to our late-planted trial work, slated for the first week in June. Most fields in the mid-April window have come up to acceptable stands. Some fields planted closer to the first of May- right in front of what I hope was our one and only blackberry winter for 2026- caught both cool temperatures and rainfall events in excess of 1″. A few of those fields have been very slow to emerge, and some are moving to replant those fields now. Continue reading
Palmer amaranth remains one of the most difficult weeds to manage, and when pigweed escapes preemergence control, postemergence decisions can quickly turn into a kitchen sink approach where multiple products are added to the tank. Because postemergence options depend on the crop system and trait technology, we evaluated a wide range of postemergence programs in 2025 to better understand overall control trends. Continue reading