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County Impact Statements - Jefferson County
COTMAN Demonstrations Indicate Stress in the 2003 Cotton Crop
Because there was frequent and sometimes heavy rainfall in
Jefferson County during the month of May, the county was declared a federal
disaster county.
Cotton crops that were planted in late April or early May were
adversely affected. Many fields of cotton were planted later than normal because
of wet field conditions. Some of the county's acreage was planted in very late
May or early June.
The use of the COTMAN computer program allowed the County
Extension Service, selected cotton growers, and their consultants an opportunity
to see the effects of crop development on fields that were saved even though the
rainfall events negatively impacted the crop growth.
Also, use of the COTMAN program allowed a look at late planted
fields that were not as adversely impacted by wet conditions, but were impacted
by slow development caused by poor seed quality or lack of soil moisture prior
to irrigation. There was also opportunity for the county Extension staff to
monitor one new cotton variety (DP 555) that has unique growth characteristics.
Through use of the COTMAN program, growers were able to see how
well or how poorly the crop was developing and could make adjustments in use of
crop protection chemicals, irrigation, plant growth regulators or fertility.
Teaching opportunities arose for the county Extension staff through use of the
COTMAN program because not all recommendations were followed in regard to best
management practices on fields.
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A wet spring meant lots of early stress on many Jefferson County cotton
fields. |
Impacts
- COTMAN graphs were used in county Row Crop Newsletters to allow more
county cotton growers the opportunity to see how crops were developing when
planted at different times and under different management and weather
situations.
- A comparison of the DP 555 variety grown under both irrigated and
non-irrigated conditions showed near normal development on the non-irrigated
field but a very extended growing period for the irrigated field. The excess
growth on the irrigated field caused a longer period of crop monitoring for
pests as well as a very late crop termination.
- COTMAN mapping of 2 fields of SG 215 near Wright showed the impact of
plant losses due to soil diseases in the month of May.
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