Weekly in-season Updates
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INFORMATION |
July 1, 2007 Talkin’ Cotton J.C. Banks
Rain is still the story in most of the cotton producing areas. Excessive rainfall and cooler temperatures have decreased heat unit accumulation, and cotton development is slightly behind where it should be this year. When the clouds go away and temperature turns hot, the plants will really try to go through a growth spurt. For this reason, we will be recommending a growth regulator when the warm weather arrives. Usually, in Oklahoma we use PGR’s primarily on irrigated areas, but this year we have had enough water in dryland areas that the cotton will likely benefit from PGR applications. Well drained areas that are not as waterlogged will initiate growth quickly so the growth regulator should be in the plant more quickly than plants in areas that have been stressed by too much water. Generally we recommend 4 to 6 ounces of the Pix based chemicals or 2 ounces of Stance prior to bloom on non-stressed cotton. At bloom, we recommend 8 ounces of Pix or 3 ounces of Stance. These treatments should be evaluated again at 10 to 14 days following the first treatment, and if growth continues to be rapid, another treatment of slightly higher rates may be required. Late squaring and early bloom is the correct time to apply growth regulators. As the plant gets larger, these treatments will have a decreasing effect. In mid to late August growth should already have been controlled, if the cotton is too growthy at this time, it is difficult to control it with growth regulators.
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