TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE ROLLING PLAINS AGRONOMY PROGRAM

ORCOT ORGANIC COTON PROJECT UPDATE

Project Update: Organic Cotton Field Trials

Overview:

We have made much progress with our cotton field trials across multiple locations, focusing heavily on managing weed pressure, addressing a variety of challenges, and improving cotton emergence. We have also received soil samples from our sites and they are currently undergoing analysis in College Station,TX. Below is a summary of the status and plans for each trial site, including updates on the on-farm trial recruitment and the internship program.

Lubbock, TX Trial:

  • Weed Pressure: Intense, with dominant summer annual weeds, primarily Palmer amaranth.
  • Winter Weeds: Poorly controlled/suppressed.
  • Watering Impact: Increased watering has led to a dense flush of summer weeds.
  • Tillage: Initiated but has been ineffective as weeds had already taken over most plots.
  • Hand Removal: Performed a few weeks ago.
  • Future Actions: Continued tillage inputs are planned.

College Station, TX Trial:

  • Cotton Emergence: Good.
  • Weed Pressure: Very high, exacerbated by heavy summer rainfall. Managed through hand weeding and interrow cultivation.
  • Flame Weeding Treatment: Terminated due to large weeds in cotton rows. Flaming was ineffective for large weeds; only smaller weeds could be controlled.
  • Current Field Condition: Cotton has flowered, doing particularly well in plots with the highest preplanting tillage (Treatment 1). Some larger weeds remain, which are being controlled.
  • Cover Crop Impact: Cover crops have decreased weed pressure but have caused some stunting in cotton growth.
  • Fertilizer: Chicken litter has been applied to the field
  • Future Actions: Implement aggressive weed control in the first month post-planting using sand fighter rotary hoeing and finger weeding.

New Mexico Trial:

  • Cotton Emergence: Very poor, with minimal emergence due to severe soil crusting.
  • Irrigation Issue: Flood irrigation on flat ground caused crusting; raised beds are typically used to prevent this issue.
  • Weed Pressure: Significant, with large weeds in cotton rows. Aggressive weed control is being considered to avoid seedbank deposits, which may further damage cotton.
  • Current Field Condition: Field is very weedy, with flowering weeds but no seed production. Cotton is sparse, primarily in patches within plots.
  • Cover Crop Impact: Weeds are outcompeting cotton; deteriorated residues in cover crop plots.
  • Replanting: Not possible according to the cotton agronomist.
  • Future Actions: Considering purchasing a roller crimper for raised beds next year; current strategies for this year are under review.

On-Farm Trial Recruitment:

  • Recruitment Status: We have recruited half of the organic cotton fields (86) we aimed to collect data from in both New Mexico and Texas.
  • Ongoing Efforts: Actively seeking transitioning and short-term organic cotton farms.
  • Data Collection: Mid-season agronomic data collection has begun in west Texas.

Education:

  • Theundergraduate internship program has commenced, with the first intern joining us at College Station, TX from Texas A&M Kingsville and wrapping up their project on August 8, 2024.

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