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Beltwide production faces challenges, opportunitiesBy Jennifer M. Latzke The 2008 Beltwide Cotton Production Conference concluded Jan. 10 with a discussion from a panel of cotton specialists from Extension programs across the Cotton Belt about each of their region's 2007 crop year. They also offered up production suggestions for 2008. Robert Lemon, with the newly renamed Texas AgriLife Extension, discussed the crop in the southwest region of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico. "Planted acres in the southwest region dropped by 25 percent in 2007," Lemon said. In Kansas, planted acres decreased by 57 percent, nearly 50,000 acres. Oklahoma decreased by 45 percent or 175,000 acres. And Texas planted 24 percent fewer cotton acres, nearly 4.93 million. New Mexico rounded out the list with only a 13 percent decrease, at 55,000 acres. "In 2008, I suspect there will be a similar situation in the Southwest, especially if producers could plant wheat," Lemon said. "A lot of acres went into small grains. "We're going to grow cotton, though, especially in the High Plains of Texas," he continued. "It's what feeds the infrastructure out there." In looking at trends from the southwest region, Kansas leads the pack in adopting transgenic cotton varieties, and nearly 51 percent of the acres planted in Kansas were Roundup Ready Flex cottons. The trend toward transgenics will continue, Lemon said. Kansas's growing season had good moisture up until the early fruiting of the plants, and then sporadic rainfall caused some boll drop. However, Kansas did have a respectable 533 pounds per acre yield. Oklahoma's crop had a cool and rainy early start to its growing season, and then in June it suffered a lot of rain. With heavier clay type soils, Lemon said, it waterlogged a lot of cotton, which caused some fruit shed. But, overall Oklahoma's 2007 crop showed an 873 pounds per acre yield. Texas, in the Northwest, had a tremendous year for cotton. The spring months were cool and wet, so planting was difficult in most areas. But, heat units kicked up on August, September and October and the area produced 8.145 million bales, which is the second largest crop in the region's history. The crop also came with record quality measurements, with 90 percent grading 21 or better on color and 35 staple.
Jennifer M. Latzke can be reached by phone at 620-227-1807, or by e-mail at jlatzke@hpj.com. 2/4/08 Date: 1/31/08 Advertisement
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