The UT Cotton Scout School is scheduled for the last Friday of the month, May 27th, at the West Tennessee Research and Education Center (605 Airways Blvd, Jackson). There is no fee, and preregistration is not required. Registration begins at 8:00 AM with the program starting at 8:30. Content will include classroom and hands-on training with an optional go-to-the-field session after lunch. Topics covered will include cotton development and identification and symptoms of insect pests, plant diseases, and weeds.
Strong thunderstorms brought heavy rainfall and isolated hail to some areas of the MidSouth last weekend (5/13-5/15). Reports of hail damage have not been widespread and many welcomed a rather helpful rainfall event. Still, those who caught hail are assessing their damaged stand and those who caught the heaviest rainfalls are trying to determine if a replant is warranted. In this blog, I summarize some recent research conducted by the MidSouth Cotton Specialists’ Working Group on hail damage and planting date/populations and discuss the applicability of those findings to our current situation. 
The Extension Cotton Specialists’ Working Group, with funding from Cotton Inc and support from a number of seed companies, has been studying seed quality and the impacts marginal seed have on in-season performance since 2020. I planted the 2022 seed quality trial last Thursday (April 28th) with the expectation that even the best treatments would struggle, based on the forecast. To my surprise, each time I checked the forecast temperatures increased and rain chances shrunk. Some of those treatments emerged yesterday and they rowed this afternoon (pictured above). The planting window that I thought would help separate excellent seed from marginal seed just might make everything look great! 