|
W Texas | I am thinking of some Pima Cotton for next year. This is in Trans-Pecos Texas and is an insurable crop in my location. Would be furrow irrigated with plenty of water and a deep silty clay loam soil. Good quality irrigation and about 8 inches of rain, usually occurring in July and August. Heat units about 3000 average, but cool nights due to high elevation. Soil has very low iron, but upland performs well here.
Questions:
How cold tolerant is seedling Pima? Last plant date for insurance is 4/30. Last frost date is as late as 4/20. Neighbor had Pima this year and seemed to tolerate a late frost very well.
Does Pima exhibit any iron chlorosis in a low iron soil?
"Here" upland cotton performs very well with flood irrigation, perhaps better than any other crop I have grown. Does Pima tolerate flooding?
What are the main differences between Pima and upland cultivation? I have read it is harder to defoliate and longer season, so takes more water. Does it require about the same inputs in terms of fertilizer? Here a typical program for upland would be 40 units of Phos in the row and 150 of N in the water. How about insecticides? We don't seem to have any problems here with upland in terms of bugs.
I want to plant the shortest season Pima available my first year (need training wheels!!) Any recommendations for a short season Pima that is easy to defoliate and has good storm resistance (have had two hurricanes in two years)?
Marketing: I am reading about the water situation in Cali and imagine that cotton acreage is going to be down again in 2015? Local gin says bids are about 1.60 right now. Hard to imagine that price is going to hold if everything else is dropping, but acreage is down this year and perhaps next year also.
TIA!
| |
|
Pima Cotton growers
