Cotton Defoliation Update and Management Considerations Following Hurricane Helene (Camp Hand)
As we are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, we have begun getting questions on how to deal with certain situations in our cotton crop. Please read the following document below for thoughts from myself and Wade Parker on moving forward with the 2024 cotton crop affected by Helene.
There will be a lot we learn moving forward and I will be sure to keep you all in the loop with respect to what I am thinking with this crop as we get further into harvest.
Also, please listen to the cotton and peanut team joint podcast on the impact the storm has had on cotton and peanuts across our state. The episode can be found here: http://www.ugacotton.com/2024/10/talkin-cotton-podcast-hurricane-helene-impacts-on-georgia-cotton-and-peanuts/.
First part of the week, it looks like highs in the 80s, lows in the 60s (maybe even the 50s). But then we drop off on Wednesday where highs are in the 70s, lows in the 50s and even as low as the 40s. Starting to feel like fall thank goodness.
If your growers decide to use the three way, I’d be looking at 4 oz/acre Dropp, 12 oz/acre tribufos (Folex/Def), and 42 oz/acre Prep. I’m using a higher rate of Dropp because of the rain we have all gotten in the last few weeks, and a higher rate of Folex because we are cooling off.
For those that are comfortable using Ginstar/Cutout/Adios/etc., this week looks like the week to use it. I’d be looking at at least 6 oz/acre of Ginstar, on up to 8 oz/acre particularly later in the week. I would also add Dropp to that mix to help with the regrowth issues caused by significant rain in the last few weeks (1-2 oz/acre should be enough). 42 oz/acre Prep with that.
Of course, you can always switch Folex with a PPO inhibitor (Aim, ET/ETX, Reviton, etc.) if you have a unique situation.
Reminder that adding diuron by itself to the defoliation mix is off label.
GPS Guidance Options for Harvest (Wes Porter)
I have gotten a few questions about options for GPS Guidance for digging peanuts now that there are a lot of towers down especially east of I-75. I have reached out to Trimble (Vantage SE) and John Deere to see where things stand and what options there currently are. In both cases these corrections are satellite based and may not be as accurate as RTK but are very close, and some are listed to be at the same level as RTK. Here is where we are at:
Trimble (Vantage SE) Customers:
We are giving anyone with RTK subscriptions through us RTX (https://positioningservices.trimble.com/en/rtx) Fast to get through this time until the towers are back online. This is at no cost to the customer if they have a current RTK subscription with us. We have already given out around 200 RTX subscriptions since last Friday and have many guys digging peanuts etc now with that subscription.
John Deere:
Lassetter has about half of their towers damaged currently, and Blanchard Equipment has mainly towers out in Emanuel and Jefferson Counties. While each dealership may have certain options here is directly from John Deere- The dealers (only in effected areas) will have the ability to give customers who are digging peanuts a 30-day SF3 or SF-RTK demo to get through peanut digging. SF-RTK is sub-inch accuracy just like normal RTK, SF3 has about a foot accuracy but inch repeatability. It is up to the dealers to allocated and they have been encouraged to limit this to peanut digging only. If you need one of these activated reach out to your local dealer about a demo activation.
What do I do about grass and morninglory during cotton defoliation?
Glyphosate is effective on grasses. If morningglory is troubling you, then he said to drop the Folex out of “three way” and replace with a PPO inhibitor such as ET or Aim. The recommendations from the UGA Pest Management Handbook is below.
Post-Harvest Tropical Spiderwort/Benghal Dayflower Control (Prostko)
Field corn growers who do not control tropical spiderwort/Benghal dayflower in the fall after harvest are missing a HUGE opportunity to reduce seed-rain back into a field. Failure to control this plant in the fall is one reason why many Georgia growers continue to have major problems with this weed.
Check out the following data/pictures from a test that we currently have in a Grady Co. harvested corn field (Thanks Cale!). You will note that the most effective treatment at this time was a split application of Gramoxone 3SL @ 32 oz/A + Induce @ 0.25% v/v. I would expect better control from the other treatments if they would have been applied earlier to smaller plants and/or also included a COC or MSO (I was trying to save $$ and determine if a tank-mix with a “loaded” glyphosate would be adequate).
Since we are not likely to get a hard freeze until ~November 15 in south GA, there is still plenty of time left for tropical spiderwort/Benghal dayflower to produce viable seed. Viable/ripe seed can be produced within 14 to 22 days after aerial flower opening. Additional information about the post-harvest control of tropical spiderwort/Benghal dayflower can be found on page 74 of the 2024 UGA Pest Control Handbook.
Tillin It Like It Is Episode 9: Maturity Matters Cotton and Peanuts (Blake Carter)
A new episode just dropped on peanut and cotton maturity featuring Wade Parker and Cliff Collins. We also added a five-minute add-on from Wade regarding maturity/harvest as it relates to Helene. Please share with producers in your counties as you seem fit.
Tropical Storm Milton expected to hit west coast of Florida midweek as a major hurricane (Pam Knox)
Check Pam Knoxs, UGA Climatologist, recent blog post to read what to expect this week from Hurricane Milton.