Turn Row Meetings, Crop Tour Feature Irrigated Cotton Trials

Writer: Tim W. McAlavy, 806-746-6101, email: t-mcalavy@tamu.edu
Contact: Randy Boman, 806-746-6101, email: r-boman@tamu.edu

LUBBOCK – Farmers and others interested in irrigated cotton production should mark two dates
on their calendars – August 30, and September 18.

“Those are the dates for two important turn row meetings and the Yoakum County Crops Tour,”
said Randy Boman, cotton agronomist with Texas Cooperative Extension. “All three of these
events will provide a close-up look at irrigated cotton systems trials on the South Plains.
 
“The Plains Cotton Improvement Program (PCIP) and Cotton Incorporated help fund these
annual trials. There is no better side-by-side comparison of many new commercial cotton varieties
and our High Plains standards.”

The meetings include:

     •    Aug. 30 – Turn row Meeting at the James Brown Farm in Muleshoe, beginning at 9 a.m.
Topics are: COTMAN plant mapping observations of varieties; discussion of planted varieties;
and an insect situation update by Monti Vandiver, Extension IPM agent for Parmer and Bailey
Counties. This field trial features 13 varieties: seven Roundup Ready or Bollgard/Roundup Ready
stacked; two BXN; and four conventional varieties.

From Muleshoe: Drive seven miles north on Hwy. 214, then turn west. Proceed five miles west,
then turn north on County Road DD 1400.

     •    Aug. 30 – Turn row Meeting at the Blanco Canyon Area (Appling Farms), beginning
at 2 p.m. Topics are: COTMAN plant mapping observations of varieties; discussion of planted
varieties; and an insect situation update by Steve Davis, Extension IPM agent for Crosby and
Floyd Counties. This trial features 13 varieties: eight Roundup Ready or Bollgard/Roundup
Ready stacked; and five conventional varieties.

From Cone: Take FM 193 east and drive about nine miles to the bottom of Blanco Canyon. Turn
north on CR 215, approximately one mile east of the stop sign. Appling Farms headquarters is
one mile north on the west side of the road. A pivot irrigation system is on the east side of the
road; the cotton plots occupy the west half of this pivot.

     •    Sept. 18 – Yoakum County Crop Tour at the Ricky Bearden Farm near Tokio, beginning
at 8:45 a.m. Topics are: COTMAN plant mapping observations of varieties; discussion of planted
varieties; and an insect situation update by Scott Russell, Extension IPM agent for Terry and
Yoakum Counties. This trial features 15 varieties: 10 Roundup Ready or Bollgard/Roundup
Ready stacked; and five conventional varieties.

From Brownfield or Plains: Take Hwy. 380 west (from Brownfield) or east (from Plains) to the
Tokio Co-op Gin. Turn north on FM 1780 and drive one mile. The cotton plots occupy part of a
center pivot on the west side of the road.

For more information on these cotton trials or meetings, contact the county Extension offices
hosting a meeting or call Boman at (806) 746-6101.