Summaries of Arkansas cotton research 2008

Cotton acres continued to decline in 2008 due to relatively high commodity prices and lower production costs associated with soybean and corn compared to cotton. According to the Arkansas Agricultural Statistics Service, producers reduced cotton acres by 25% from 850,000 acres in 2007 to 640,000 in 2008. Mid-South Mississippi river valley states decreased 32% from 2.7 million in 2007 to 1.85 million in 2008. Cotton lint yields were also down 49 lb/acre on average. In 2007 the average cotton yield was 1071 lb lint/acre; this decreased to 1022 lb lint/acre in 2008. Arkansas producers have excelled in averaging more than two bales/acre (1 bale = 500 lb) over the last several years. Increased production costs, especially costs of fuel and fertilizer, have increased to the point where increased average yields of 1200 lb lint/acre are needed to break even on production costs. In 2008, Arkansas' farmers produced 1.31 million bales, third in production behind Texas and Georgia. The 2008 production season was much like 2007 in that extended cool, wet weather slowed cotton planting to below the five-year average. The result was delayed cotton planting and later maturity across much of the state. Extended periods of cool, wet weather increased incidence of seedling disease and many acres were replanted as a result. Fortunately, environmental conditions improved and most of the cotton acres were able to catch up toward the end of the season. Weed resistance, particularly glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth (pigweed) continues to be an emerging problem for many producers across Arkansas. In 2008, twenty counties were identified as having a population of Palmer amaranth. The severity of this problem weed in cotton will encourage increased utilization of residual herbicides for weed management in 2009. The increase in glyphosate resistance across the state may lead to the highest use of residuals since the development of glyphosate tolerant varieties in 1997. Insect pests for 2008 were heavy in areas, especially where other crops were added in rotation to the farm mix. In future seasons it will be important to look at pest management in a whole-farm approach as far as crop diversity and field selection to possibly reduce flushes of sucking pests around alternative crop borders. The defining moments for the 2008 growing season came on the heels of hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Many producers in southeast Arkansas received up to 30 inches of rain and lost up to 40% of their crop to these hurricanes. The devastating results were tremendous hard-lock and boll rot. Much of the lint never made it into the picker. Producers in northern Arkansas did not receive as much rain but wind did become a factor for many. Overall, 2008 had its ups and downs, had the hurricanes not robbed yield across the state the possibility of a record yield would have been high. Production costs in the future and prices of other commodities will play a large role in deciding Arkansas cotton acres for 2009