Cotton is a fiber, feed and food crop.
The fiber of a thousand faces and almost as many uses, cotton is noted for its versatility, its appearance, its performance and-above all-its natural comfort. From all types of apparel…to sheets and towels…tarpaulins and tents…cotton in today’s fast-moving world is still nature’s wonder fiber, providing thousands of useful products and supporting millions of jobs as it moves year after year from field to fabric.
U.S. textile mills will spin more than 10 million bales of cotton in 2000. That’s enough cotton to make 3 billion pairs of men’s jeans and 8 billion men’s dress shirts.
About two thirds of the harvested crop is composed of the seed, which is crushed to separate its three products – oil, meal and hulls. Cottonseed oil is a common component of many food items, used primarily as a cooking oil, shortening and salad dressing. The oil is used extensively in the preparation of such snack foods as crackers, cookies and chips. The meal and hulls are used as livestock, poultry and fish feed and as fertilizer.
Greetings. This post begins the first crop reporting by members of the Mississippi Agricultural Consultants Association for the 2013 season. Each Tuesday and Friday throughout the growing season, expect to find up-to-date comments from consultants concerning various crops, insects, weeds, diseases, and more. You will be notified by email whenever new comments or photos are posted to this site by clicking “profile” in the right hand corner of the home page under “Subscribe” and following the directions.
Reporting from the South Delta is Kevin Corban, Rolling Fork
Not much field work going on this week, still wet. About 90+ % corn planted, some will be replanted. The corn that was planted in early March is looking good. A few soybeans were planted last week, but I haven’t seen any up as of Tuesday.
Reporting from South Mississippi is Trey Bullock, Hattiesburg
Wheat crop is 70% headed and looks fair to great. Had to treat several fields in early March for powdery mildew. Rust is present in most fields at low levels.
Corn is 50% planted. Some growers have not planted an acre of corn due to wet conditions and in the last week have received 4+ inches.
Peanut planting will begin as soon as temps and soil conditions allow.
Reporting from East Mississippi is Burt Falkner, West Point
Last week my area received from 1” to 5” of rain and a lot of wind. Tornadoes in the Noxubee County area damaged equipment, farm shops, grain bins and homes.
Still burning down in some places using Roundup plus 2,4-D, Roundup plus Valor and we’ve had good results from Sharpen plus Roundup. Ryegrass resistance to SU herbicides has been confirmed.
Corn is from 0 – 50% planted with the most acres planted in Noxubee County. It’s taking corn 3 – 4 weeks to come up to a stand. Corn planted March 18th, as of yesterday, is @ V1 growth stage. We’ll plant irrigated corn up until May 1st. Planting on dry land acres will end sooner.
Wheat looks really good, especially for the weather conditions it’s had. With most having a fungicide treatment, disease pressure remains light – a little Septoria that is staying low in the plant. Nitrogen issues in some areas because of the wet weather. Growth stage is from flag leaf to boot.
Some acre shifting going on – corn to cotton or milo. At present my cotton acres will be about the same as 2012.