Taking advantage of a day too wet to work in the fields, many Texas High Plains cotton farmers attended the recent Deltapine Field Day near Lorenzo.
Southwest Farm Press reports that Deltapine and Monsanto representatives discussed the increasingly difficult problem of controlling glyphosate-resistant weeds, water-efficient cotton variety research, the Roundup Ready Xtend crop system (including concerns with drift and tank cleanout), new varieties in the pipeline and an ongoing search for root-knot-nematode-resistant varieties.
Survey of the audience found that most farmers had trouble controlling weeds this year, especially the glyphosate-resistant pigweed. Dallan Maas, Monsanto area business manager, explained new technology in weed control, the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System, but informed attendees of its limited supply for 2015 crops.
Until Xtend is vastly available, growers will rely on existing techniques and recommendations for growers to get back to basic weed control strategies.
“Start clean. Use a burndown in February or March and then a pre-emerge material behind the planter,” Maas said.