COTTON HARVEST CRANKS UP IN THE PANHANDLE

Writer: Pam Dillard, (806) 359-5401, p-dillard@tamu.edu
Contact: Bob Robinson, (806) 359-5401, b-robinson@tamu.edu

AMARILLO — Cotton harvesting has begun in the Texas Panhandle, with average yields expected in most areas, according to spot checks with county agents with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service.

Briscoe County Extension agent Pammy Millican said some 30,000 acres were planted this year, down about 8,000 acres. Approximately 75 percent is dryland production.

“Our county yield average is 480 pounds per acre, or just under a bale,” said Millican. A few Briscoe producers have told Millican they might realize a bale and a quarter. Some weevil damage occurred in the Silverton area. Hardest hit was production around Quitaque, where farmers spent more to control the pest. “After everything is in, we’ll still total out to a bale,” he said.

According to Millican, the most important factor contributing to the salvation of this year’s crop in Briscoe, as in most of the cotton- growing regions, was the hot weather in September.

“Even if things started out slower than usual, due to cooler than normal temperatures and rainfall on traditional planting dates,” said Millican, “we had the good fortune not to have an early freeze, so the crop was allowed to come to full maturity.”

In the Wellington area, Collingsworth County agent Dale Dunlap reported a drop from 54,000 acres planted to cotton down to 40,000 acres.

“The boll weevil has also caused us some problems this year,” he said. Dunlap estimated several thousand acres have been affected, some either severely damaged or destroyed. The county averages one- third bale per acre. Dryland produces one-half bale to the acre while irrigated cotton will top one and one-half bale.

Deaf Smith County agent Dennis Newton said production there is up this year, rising from 10,000 to 17,000 acres.

“We’ll be well under way with harvest next week. This weekend’s freeze was just what our producers were waiting for,” he said. Annual yields in the Hereford area average between 350 pounds per acre for dryland to 480 pounds for irrigated acreage.

Newton estimated one to one and a half bale average across the county this year.

“Boll weevil populations were very low, and I doubt much, if any damage will be reported this year,” he said.

This scenario was much the same in Wheeler County, where agent Joe Don King said cotton production runs about 5,500 to 6,000 acres.

“We average a half bale on dryland and a bale on irrigated acres,” said King, “farmers here were just waiting on the freeze to defoliate their cotton.” And, again the cotton got a late start due to delayed planting.

According to Leon Church, agent in Donley County, only two fields had been harvested there. “Even the gin is just now gearing up to receive cotton and what had been picked was shipped out to Friona,” he said.

Boll weevil counts in Donley were extremely high this year, with some producers reporting more than 200 weevils per monitoring trap in the spring.

“Our threshold for treatment is four weevils, but it’s too early to tell if losses will be severe,” said Church, who with producers is observing large numbers of the pest going into overwintering sites. “We’re expecting to see high populations again next year,” he added.

Donley County yields average 280 pounds per acre for dryland and 400 pounds an acre in irrigated production. “We had a very mild fall that helped with the maturing process. Farmers are thankful for that,” Church said.

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