Tillage operations performed prior to planting cotton should make a firm, well-drained seedbed that will provide a warm environment for seed germination and vigorous seedling growth. Since cotton is a semi-tropical, perennial plant, it grows very slowly early in the growing season compared to other Missouri crops such as corn and soybeans. This publication gives tilage and planting guidelines for cotton in order to help farmers provide a seedbed that will allow the young seedling to get off to the best start possible.David W. Albers (State Extension Specialist-Cotton, Delta Center), David L. Reinbott (Area Farm Management Specialist, Scott County)New March 199

Albers, David W.

Reinbott, David

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University of Missouri ExtensionG4270, New March 1994Cotton Tillage and Planting GuidelinesDavid W. AlbersState Extension Specialist-CottonDelta CenterDavid L. ReinbottArea Farm Management SpecialistScott CountyNoteMention of a trade name in this publication does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by MU and does notimply its approval to the exclusion of other products that also may be suitable.Tillage operations performed prior to planting cotton should make a firm, well-drained seedbed that willprovide a warm environment for seed germination and vigorous seedling growth. Since cotton is asemi-tropical, perennial plant, it grows very slowly early in the growing season compared to other Missouricrops such as corn and soybeans. The slow, early growth nature of this crop requires a grower to provide aseedbed that will allow the young seedling to get off to the best start possible.With new equipment, especially planters and cultivators, developed to handle high residue conditions, it ispossible to plant cotton into stale beds or fields that have received minimal tillage. Clean-till approaches arestill the predominant tillage system for cotton, but using fewer tillage operations is one way cotton growershave found to reduce costs yet produce yields equal to those in conventional, clean-till systems.Tillage guidelinesConventional tillageThe goal of most conventional tillage systems has been to produce a clean-tilled seed bed with no residue onthe surface. This approach has a long history in cotton production. Since a cotton plant produces a woodystem that is difficult to destroy, several tillages are needed to completely remove the residue from the surface.Good seed placement was difficult if any residue or cotton stalks were present at planting until the latestgeneration of planters were developed. Table 1 outlines a typical tillage system for cotton using the clean-tillapproach.Table 1Conventional tillage operations for Missouri cottonTillage Purpose Advantages DisadvantagesShred stalks infallAllow stalks to decomposeand reduce insectoverwintering sites.Can reduce insectpressure the followingseason.NoneDisk in fall Mix residue into top layer ofsoil.Hastens decompositionof residue.Less residue on soil surface can allow soilblowing in spring.G4270 Cotton Tillage and Planting Guidelines | University of Missouri Ex... http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPrinterFriendlyPub.asp...1 of 5 7/2/2010 11:05 AMDeep subsoil To break traffic pan layer. Can improve rooting andwater infiltration.Costly operation and pan may reform if soil istilled while wet after subsoiling.Disk/chisel inspringMix residue in top layer of soiland/or herbicideincorporation.Remove any winter weedgrowth.Less residue on soil surface can permitblowing soil; traffic pan can reform if diskingoccurs while soil is wet.Form beds with"hipper"Provide a fresh bed to planton.Allows the soil to warm upprior to planting.May reduce surface drainage and requirewater furrows in some poorly drained fields.Re-hip beds To rebuild bed prior toplanting.Re-establishes bedheight before planting.Fuel and labor cost.Knock downbeds with do-allFinal seedbed preparationand herbicide incorporation.Provides smooth, clean,firm seedbed.Lack of residue may permit blowingsand/soil.Conservation tillageTillage systems with less tillage operations have become a growing trend across the Cotton Belt in recentyears. The trend is due in part to Conservation Compliance requirements for fields classified as highlyerodible, but an interest in cost-saving and time-saving production techniques have been factors as well. Awide range of new systems have been tested in several cotton growing states. The following guidelines weredeveloped from research at the MU Delta Center and across the Cotton Belt. Results from recent researchindicate, in general, that several systems can be implemented that will reduce costs and keep yields stable.Reduced tillage guidelinesIf you are considering less tillage in your cotton production scheme, the following principles of reduced-tillagecotton should serve as a guide. Remember, if you are considering a reduced tillage system, try it on a fewacres before changing your entire tillage approach.Leave some residue on the surfaceYoung seedling cotton plants that are trying to establish leaf area and begin squaring by the fifth orsixth node need some protection from wind and blowing sand in May. Leaving residue on the surface ora killed cover crop can be a big help here. Wind damage has been reduced in field plots at the MUDelta Center and crop development has been advanced when the crop has a little protection. Two yearsof research suggest that if more vigorous early growth is established, then maturity has been earlier andyields higher.Make new beds on the old rowUse the old row established each season for the next year's row. The decomposing root channel canhelp keep a root penetration zone from year to year. When moving to this system, subsoiling under therow will break the initial traffic pan and allow the root channel to be established. One remainingquestion is how often it is necessary to subsoil under the row. We hope that future research will providean answer for Missouri soils.Burndown winter weeds/cover crop with herbicideMake sure to kill the cover crop/winter weeds before they get large enough to start robbing water andnutrients from the seed bed, usually about 3 to 4 weeks before planting. Survey the weeds present anduse a burndown herbicide or combination that will give good kill of all the weeds and cover croppresent.Don't diskSoil compaction and formation of a traffic pan has been linked by numerous research reports to overuseof a disk. Seed beds can be prepared to plant with modern planters by shredding stalks, hip-up on theold row and do-all to form the seed bed and incorporate herbicide.Look at a high-residue cultivator with a guidance systemAnother savings that can occur is to improve the efficiency of equipment used. High-residue cultivatorswith a guidance system (Buffalo, Heinneker, Orthman, Sukup, John Deere, Case IH, etc.) can cultivateG4270 Cotton Tillage and Planting Guidelines | University of Missouri Ex... http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPrinterFriendlyPub.asp...2 of 5 7/2/2010 11:05 AMaccurately through a crop at faster speeds. At lay-by, the use of a ridging wing can establish next year'sbed. The stalks are shredded after harvest and then a row cleaner is used to peel off the top of the bedwith the residue (instead of incorporating the residue with a do-all) just before planting. This system hasa lot of potential, but requires investment in new equipment to replace a cultivator, hipper and do-allwith a ridge-till cultivator and row cleaner.Reduce trips over the field to save fuel and laborEconomic analysis of a ridge-till system and a conventional system has shown that lower fuel use andlabor costs associated with less tillage can provide significant savings. A ridge-till system analyzed wasfound to reduce labor costs by 27 percent, fuel costs by 37 percent and repair costs by 24 percent.These reductions more than offset the greater herbicide costs for the burndown herbicide, resulting in a$34.50 per acre greater net return from the ridge-till system. Greater profitability from lower costs are abig advantage in today's very competitive agricultural markets.Planting guidelinesPlanting dateDecisions regarding planting of cotton in Missouri can impact the crop for the entire season. A vigorouslygrowing crop usually starts fruiting earlier, matures earlier and may have greater yield potential. Plantingdates for Missouri cotton need to balance the need for as long a growing season as possible with the need towait for good growing conditions. A general guideline for planting date for cotton in Missouri is from May 5to May 15. Cotton planted before May 5 probably will encounter greater risk of cool soil temperatures, butmay be able to establish a stand in some years. Cotton planted after May 15, until May 20, probably will nothave significantly lower yields, but maturity delays begin to be a problem. Cotton planted after May 20usually has reduced yields due to the shorter season.Soil temperatureCotton requires a temperature of greater than 60 degrees Fahrenheit for germination. Soil temperatures aretypically warming during the daylight hours and cooling at night. Although the variation in soil temperature isnot as great as in air temperature, cotton grows most vigorously if the soil temperature is above 65 degreesFahrenheit for most of the day. A midmorning soil temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit is a good thresholdtemperature for planting cotton.Several other factors impact the germination and emergence of cotton. If a good forecast indicates a warmingtrend and no rainfall, then soil temperature should rise. A rainfall of 1 inch or more can drop soil temperaturesby 5 degrees Fahrenheit and it may take more than four days to rewarm the soil to the temperature levelbefore the rain. Historically, weather trends show that planting dates after May 15 have less risk of low soiltemperatures. However, to avoid problems with late planting dates, growers should probably shoot for anaverage planting date of May 15 and begin planting near May 5 and finish by May 20.Planting rateOverplanting cotton seed is costly in terms of seeds and also in terms of wasted resources. A final populationof about three plants per row foot results in near-optimal yields. A planting rate of four seeds per row foot toestablish a stand of three plants is recommended in most situations. Higher planting rates result in lower fruitretention, while low planting rates result in delayed maturity from the plant needing to compensate by placingmore fruit on vegetative branches that mature later.When calibrating your planter's seeding rate, remember to calibrate to seed per row foot and not pounds ofseed per acre. Seed size varies from variety to variety, so you need to make sure that you are planting thecorrect number of seeds, not pounds of seed. Varieties can vary from 3,500 to 5,500 seeds per pound. If youcalibrate for a large-seeded variety and then switch to a smaller-seeded variety, you could establish thousandsof extra plants per acre.G4270 Cotton Tillage and Planting Guidelines | University of Missouri Ex... http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPrinterFriendlyPub.asp...3 of 5 7/2/2010 11:05 AMRow spacingComparisons of cotton grown in 30-inch rows and in 38-inch rows in Missouri and many other states indicatea typical yield increase of 10 to 15 percent from narrowing the row spacing. Closer row spacing results inearlier canopy closure and more efficient use of solar radiation for photosynthesis. Cotton grown in 30-inchrows typically matures a few days earlier, usually related to the canopy closure response. Planting rates for30-inch rows need to be reduced about 15 to 20 percent (in seed per row-foot) compared to 38-inch rows, toplant the same population per acre in either row spacing. Research on 30-inch rows indicates that they mayrequire more intensive management than 38-inch rows. Since it is using solar radiation more efficiently,30-inch row cotton has shown greater demand for nutrients and a more consistent need for Pix (mepiquatchloride) growth regulator.Variety selectionSelecting the best varieties to be grown on your farm requires comparison of varieties in local tests that matchyour growing conditions, followed by fine-tuning the management of a variety on your soils. When trying anew variety, limit your acreage during the first season you grow it, no matter how great it looks in the varietytest data. Although the differences between most varieties are subtle, learning to manage a variety for yourfarm may take some time. Concentrate on what works for you.The varieties listed in Table 2 are those tested in Missouri locations for the last three years (1991-1993). Theyare listed with 3-year average yields from Portageville (silt loam) and Senath (silt loam), and 2-year averageyields from Sikeston (sandy loam).Table 2Three-year average yields for Missouri Cotton Variety Test, 1991-1993Variety Senath Sikeston1 Portageville 8 location per year average2Lint yield (pounds per acre)Stoneville 453 1275 887 1023 1084DPL 50 1183 982 1021 1072DPL 20 1233 927 998 1068Stoneville LA 887 1245 874 998 1059DPL 51 1235 932 952 1053Stoneville 132 1186 870 1007 1040Terra C-40 1171 870 997 1030DES 119 1201 878 942 1023Chembred 1233 1158 909 932 1011Hyperformer HS-46 1147 883 910 992Chembred 333 1071 931 948 990DPL 5690 1154 870 899 987DPL 5415 1149 895 869 980Terra 207 1162 777 931 979Hyperformer HS-23 1139 835 911 977Chembred 1135 1074 849 928 963G4270 Cotton Tillage and Planting Guidelines | University of Missouri Ex... http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPrinterFriendlyPub.asp...4 of 5 7/2/2010 11:05 AMSuregrow S-1001 1104 830 897 958Delcot 344 1109 787 906 952Stoneville 907 1110 723 879 9261Sikeston test from 1992 and 1993 only.2Total of 8 locations tested over 3 years.Support for the tillage research referenced in this publication is in part from the Missouri State Support Committeeand Cotton Incorporated, using grower check-off dollars.G4270, new March 1994Related MU Extension publicationsG355, No-Tillage and Conservation Tillage: Economic Considerationshttp://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G355IPM1025, Cotton Pests: Scouting and Managementhttp://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=IPM1025M164, Missouri No-Till Planting Systemshttp://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=M164Order publications online at http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/shop/ or call toll-free 800-292-0969.G4270 Cotton Tillage and Planting Guidelines | University of Missouri Ex... http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPrinterFriendlyPub.asp...5 of 5 7/2/2010 11:05 AM

Cotton tillage and planting guidelines (1994)

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