2018 County Standardized Trials (CST) wheat harvest data are now available. Our county trial yields were consistent with yields in much of the state, down around 15 bu from what we had last year. Late planting due to excess moisture and a cool, wet spring with delayed fertilizer and insecticide applications, didn’t get this crop set up for record year. 
I’ve received several calls this week requesting information on whether or not to keep injured cotton and management after the injury. In this brief article, I will cover the ‘keep or discard’ decision and briefly cover best management practices after the decision to keep the crop has been made. Depending on your situation, you may need to document the injury and/or keep a portion of the field to determine the yield penalty. That information is beyond the scope of this article but should be available from your insurance agent or attorney. Continue reading
June 4-10, 2018, is Hemp History Week. Along with tobacco and a few specialty crops, Dr. Eric Walker works with industrial hemp, or hemp. Here are a few things that may be helpful for those who may be interested in learning more about hemp and its products: Continue reading
The 2018 Cotton Focus will be held at the First United Methodist Church (200 S. Church St, Jackson, TN 38301) this Thursday, Feb. 8th beginning at 8 AM and concluding with lunch. Pesticide recertification points and CCA/CEUs will be offered. A dicamba training will be offered after lunch. Parking information and detailed agenda information is included below: Continue reading
The Tennessee Agricultural Production Association is having its Winter Agronomic Workshop on Wednesday, February 7, 2018 at the Doubletree Hotel in Jackson, Tennessee. Registration will open at 7:00 a.m., with presentations kicking off at 8:00 a.m. Lunch will be provided. To review the day’s agenda, please click here: Meeting Agenda
The last day to pre-register is January 31. If you prefer, you can register at the door Continue reading
In addition to the East, Middle and West TN Grain Conferences and the Cotton Focus event, UT Extension is hosting a series of meetings to be held throughout the state to prepare growers for the upcoming season. These meetings will focus on variety selection, insect and plant disease management, weed management, and other current crop production topics.
Below is a list of the production meetings to be held in January and February. Please contact your local UT Extension office for more details on time and location. Continue reading
The Mid-South’s cotton crop is rapidly maturing and many of our acres will receive a harvest aid application soon after Hurricane Irma moves through the area. There are many factors to consider in determining timing, products and rates. In an effort to outline these decisions and provide harvest aid recommendations for the Mid-South, the 2017 Mid-South Cotton Defoliation Guide has just been updated by the MidSouth Cotton Specialists’ Working Group and is now available online. To access the guide, click the image above or the included link. Please keep in mind that this was compiled as a regional guide and should be used in conjunction with your previous experiences.
The new publication, “W 403: Verticillium Wilt in Tennessee Valley Cotton” provides background on Verticillium wilt, summarizes recent variety trial results, and highlights other practices that can reduce the impact of the disease. Continue reading