Oklahoma State University (OSU) Extension cotton specialist Jenny Dudak recently returned from the Southwest Cotton Physiology Conference in Lubbock, Texas, and shared insights into the discussions and concerns of cotton producers across the region with Oklahoma Farm Report’s KC Sheperd.
“It was a joint conference that’s put on by the cotton specialists in Texas, myself, and Kansas Extension Specialist Ken Lege,” Dudak explained.
The conference had a wide array of speakers and good attendance with nearly 150 registrants. Topics ranged from industry updates from companies like FMC, BASF, Bayer, NexGen, Phytogen, and Americot, to discussions on nematodes, cotton growth, development, and maturity.
A highlight of the conference was the consultant panel, featuring representatives from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. OSU’s Brian Arnall was one of them. He discussed soil microbial project findings.
“Each cotton specialist invited a consultant from their representative state to come and sit in on a panel,” Dudak said. The panel proved to be “very lively” with many questions from attendees.
Dudak noted the discussion around cotton’s expansion into new areas, stating, “Cotton is expanding into Colorado. A cotton consultant from Kansas will be extending their services into Colorado next year. We’ll have to stay tuned to see how that goes.”
Drought and water management were concerning topics among the panelists. The consultant from Kansas also said they were lucky this year with timely rains. The consultant from the upper Gulf Coast area in Texas also felt fortunate with rainfall.
Looking ahead to the upcoming planting season, Dudak offered advice to cotton producers. “Your pre-residual herbicides – coming up with what your plan is gonna be with your weed management is pretty critical, right now,” she said. She also emphasized the importance of monitoring soil temperatures and preparing planting equipment for optimal planting times.
Dudak also touched on the discussion surrounding cover crops at the conference. “Wheat is a big cover crop that they plant,” she explained, noting that the focus was on water usage and soil moisture with cover crops.
When asked about solutions to the drought, Dudak acknowledged the challenge. “Just say a prayer,” she said.
Dudak announced an upcoming field day hosted by the Soil Health Institute at Smith Family Farms in Elk City on March 12th. “Topics will include carbon credits,” she said, along with her own presentation on early-season cotton management.
The event, slated for 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., is open to the public. “They’re just hoping to get a lot of producers in there just to learn about the Soil Health Institute and what they do,” Dudak concluded.
