Category Archives: 2019
Update on Industrial Hemp for Texas
Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, TAMU Soil & Crop Sciences, Lubbock, TX (806) 723-8432, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu September 11, 2019 The discussion of industrial hemp, particularly for cannabidiol (CBD), continues unabated in Texas. Colleagues report they hear as many as four hemp processing facilities being proposed in a local area. I can only imagine there are double and triple the number of CBD processing facilities being proposed versus those already in operation in other states. Texas A&M AgriLife is increasing our knowledge of industrial hemp. Several information programs across… Read More →
Wheat Variety Grain Picks for Texas-2019-2020
Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, TAMU Soil & Crop Sciences, Lubbock, (806) 723-8432, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu Dr. Brandon Gerrish, Extension small grains program specialist, TAMU Soil & Crop Sciences, College Station, (207) 432-1481, branman80@tamu.edu Texas A&M AgriLife staff in College Station, Amarillo/Lubbock, Vernon, Lubbock, and Corpus Christi have designated our annual wheat grain variety “Picks” for the 2019-2020 growing season for four distinct variety testing regions of Texas. These are the High Plains, Rolling Plains (Chillicothe/Vernon region in the north to south of Abilene), Blacklands & Northeast Texas, and… Read More →
Texas A&M AgriLife Coniderations for Industrial Hemp
Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, TAMU Soil & Crop Sciences, Lubbock, (806) 723-8432, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu Texas A&M AgriLife staff have received hundreds of inquiries about industrial hemp. Like you, we will be watching closely to see if the required federal rules and a State of Texas plan are in place soon enough to readily permit 2020 production. Texas A&M AgriLife has updated one article and released three new documents that are intended to help producers cut through all the information they hear. These four documents are: Industrial Hemp… Read More →
East and South Texas Cotton Harvest Aids: The Art and Science
By James Griffin Cotton Extension PhD. Student Applying cotton harvest aids has been referred to as an art. In this article, we will examine methods to change the narrative to more of a science. The first decision to make is when to “pull the trigger,” secondly rather to make one or two applications, and finally which products to use. From my experience, the 60% open boll method has been the standard for some time although other methods are most likely more accurate than eye balling percentage open… Read More →
High Yielding Wheat Cultivars Extract Soil Water from Deeper Soil Depths
Sushil Thapa1, Jourdan Bell2, Qingwu Xue1, and Jackie Rudd2 Texas A&M AgriLife Research1 and Extension2 at Amarillo Winter wheat is a major crop for grain and forage production and is managed under both dryland and irrigated conditions in the U.S. Southern High Plains. Wheat yield and water-use efficiency (the ratio of yield to evapotranspiration, ET) in the area are primarily limited by soil water deficit from late spring to early summer. Therefore, the effective use of soil water, which is from soil water storage at planting as well… Read More →
Cotton Blue Disease, A Virus Disease Not in Texas, So Far
A new virus disease of cotton found so far in several southeastern US states has attracted a lot of attention lately. This is the “cotton blue disease”, which is caused by the cotton leaf roll dwarf virus. Symptoms are seen in the new growth following virus infection and include stunting, blistering or crinkling of leaves (Figure 1), and downward cupping of leaves (Figure 2). Other symptoms can include reddening, shortened internodes, upward cupping of leaves and abnormal top growth. Plants may also exhibit a green-blue leaf… Read More →
Insect Pest Update
Dr. David Kerns, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Cotton: Cotton fleahoppers (CFH) have been extremely bad in cotton this year throughout the eastern half of Texas. In the Brazos River Bottom we have fields running 100-150% CFH infestation based on terminal inspections; the threshold is 10-15%. These large populations are the result of ample rainfall and production of weedy host harboring CFH. The good news is CFH are easy to kill with the right insecticides. The bad news is the CFH are continually reinvesting sprayed cotton and… Read More →
Mid-Season Assessment of Rhizobium Nodulation in Texas Peanuts and Other Legumes
Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, TAMU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, Lubbock, (806) 746-6101, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu; Dr. Emi Kimura, Extension Agronomy/State Extension Peanut Specialist, TAMU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, Vernon, (940) 552-9941, emi.kimura@ag.tamu.edu June 6, 2019 Note: The following comments address field observations primarily for the Texas High Plains peanut production region but are applicable to other Texas regions as well. We discuss other legume crops in the document as well. Legumes are a valuable asset in any Texas crop rotation. They offer a… Read More →
Mid- to Late-Season Weed Control Options for Peanut
Weed pressure seems higher this season due to better than average soil moisture. Herbicides applied preplant and at planting have been effective, but new weed flushes following rainfall or irrigation are likely as soil applied herbicides are dissipating. Herbicides applied at early-postemergence that do not have soil activity are also prone to allow new weed flushes. In other words, good early season weed control may need some attention because previously applied herbicides have dissipated over time. So what options do we have from now to early peg stage?… Read More →
2019 Alternative Crop Options after Failed Cotton and Late-Season Crop Planting for the Texas South Plains
With continued rains in much of the Texas High Plains, many farmers are far behind on planting goals for cotton and some other crops. Some farmers began indicating by June 3 that after yet another rain they would no longer trying to plant cotton. So, this places our High Plains of Texas farmers in a possible replant decision on a failed crop, usually cotton, or pushes planting back so much that cotton or other full-season crops are no longer viable. What to do? What are my options?… Read More →