All posts by Tyson Raper, Cotton & Small Grains Specialist

Cotton Focus TODAY (Wednesday) Feb 7th at 8AM at WTREC

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The 2024 Cotton Focus Event is TODAY, Wednesday, Feb. 7th starting at 8AM.  We have a great lineup of speakers. CCA, Master Row Crop, and Commercial Applicator Points will be available.  Lunch will be provided by Tulum.  Please find a copy of the agenda below.  Look forward to seeing you there! 


Agenda set for 2024 Cotton Focus, NEXT WEDNESDAY Feb 7th @8AM

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I am happy to report the agenda for the 2024 Cotton Focus has been set and we have a very informative lineup. We will start the morning out with a Cotton Specialist Roundtable with Dr. Brian Pieralisi (MS), Mr. Tyler Sandlin (AL), and Dr. Bradley Wilson (MO) discussing their season observations, tips for 2024, and things they will be watching over the coming year.  Next, we will have Dr. Thomas Ducey with USDA from Florence, SC discussing the emerging field of Biologicals- you will not want  to miss his section!  Our late morning section will include the always valuable updates from Dr. Lori Duncan, Dr. Aaron Smith, Dr. Sebe Brown, Dr. Larry Steckel, Dr. Nutifafa Adotey and Dr. Heather Kelly.  Finally, we will close out the meeting with a catered lunch from Tulum.  Pesticide and CCA points will be available.  Looking forward to seeing each of you there!

 


2024 Cotton Focus on Wednesday, Feb 7th

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The 2024 University of Tennessee Cotton Focus is coming up on February 7th from 8AM to 1PM in Jackson, TN at the West Tennessee Research and Education Center (605 Airways Blvd Jackson, TN 38301).  Lunch will be provided and CCA, Commercial Applicator and Master Row Crop Points will be available.  Tulum will be catering lunch.

We have several excellent speakers that will provide very valuable insight into several important decisions that we will have to make during 2024. We look forward to seeing you there!


2023 Tennessee Cotton Variety Trial Results now available

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The 2023 Tennessee Cotton Variety Trial Results (PB 1742) are now available online.  Included within these results are thirteen large strip trials (CSTs) testing 13 XtendFlex commercial varieties, four large strip trials (CSTs) testing 6 Enlist commercial varieties, and eight small plot trials (OVTs) testing 44 experimental and commercial varieties.

Special thanks to all of the agents and producers who helped generate this data.  Additionally, thanks to the USDA Classing Office in Memphis for assisting with this effort.  If you have any questions on location response or variety placement, please do not hesitate to reach out directly to your county agent.


Boll opening before a Halloween freeze

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While we’ve been steadily moving through harvesting our trials, I’ve been paying close attention to the night temperatures forecast for the three day stretch centered on Halloween.  Fortunately, there are only a few acres left that might require any more boll opener; I cannot recall a more productive year harvested in such a short timeframe.  Still, for those trying to prepare their latest planted acres for the picker, the time to make that final application of boll opener is NOW.   In this article, I briefly cover rates and products I would consider for applications going out today (10/25) or tomorrow (10/26).

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Timing defoliation and selecting products

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Many in West Tennessee have begun defoliating and questions on timing have been pouring in.  In this blog, I rehash results from an old survey on boll maturity, give a few additional pointers on timing defoliation, and share a few thoughts on concoctions as we move towards the end of September. Continue reading


REMINDER: Cotton Tour THIS Wednesday, Sept 13th @ 8AM

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The 2023 Cotton Tour will be held next Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 at 8AM at the West Tennessee Research and Education Center (605 Airways Blvd, Jackson, TN 38305).  Pesticide recertification and CCA points will be available.  Tulum will be catering lunch for us.

I’m very happy to report the slate of speakers includes Dr. Jake McNeal, our new Corn and Soybean Specialist who started earlier this spring.  He will make a few comments about a few of the research trials he has established at WTREC and some preliminary results from a soybean desiccation study. The agenda for the event can be found by following this link. Look forward to seeing you there!