Contact: Edith Chenault, (979) 845-2886,e-chenault@tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION – Cotton producers in the Panhandle and North Texas are holding their breath, waiting to see the impact of the freeze on Sunday, the Texas Agricultural Extension Service reports.
District extension director Jett Major said the freeze in the Panhandle and the South Plains this weekend may have devastating effects on the yield and quality of this year’s cotton crop.
“Typically, the first freeze is in late October or early November,” he said. “The freeze and snowfall Sunday hit us early.”
Major said there is no way to predict the financial damage from the freeze.
“We have to wait to see how many fields got the killing freeze and how many missed it,” he said.
Major said the counties south of Lubbock may have missed the freeze.
“By and large, the north and western counties in the Panhandle and the South Plains did receive the freeze,” he said. “Some fields will be hurt, both in yield and quality.”
Major said the freeze impacts cotton at all stages.
“The late-planted cotton is not yet ready to terminate,” he said. “The boll is not open and now the plant cannot fully mature.”
Major said growth of late-planted cotton was permanently halted by the freeze.
“On the other hand, some cotton was sitting in the field that had been terminated with chemicals and was ready to be harvested,” he said.
Major said this cotton is now “stringing out.”
“Because the boll is open, the lint is exposed to the weather,” he said. “The moisture makes the lint heavier and strings it out.”
Major said this causes the plant to lose lint, decreasing the yield.
“The moisture also affects the cleanliness of the plant, which is a factor in quality,” he said. “It results in yellowing of the lint.”
Major said what is needed now is warm weather.
“We need to get the warm weather that is predicted to return in the next three to five days,” he said. “Freeze and wet weather are two things we don’t need.”
Extension economist Carl Anderson said the cotton harvest in other areas of Texas is progressing well.
“We’ve essentially harvested across South Texas and the Coastal region,” he said. “The yields so far have been favorable.”
Anderson said producers did encounter a few localized problems during the season.
“The hurricane impacted producers in Kingsville,” he said. “Hail storms and dry weather were other localized problems in the state of Texas.”
Anderson said cotton quality has been good with the exception of fiber length.
The desired staple length is 1 and 1/16 inch, he said.
“It has been shorter than usual, ranging from 1 inch to 1 and 1/32 inch,” Anderson said. “The shorter staple is taking a big discount at the market.”
He said the huge supply of cotton has resulted in the lowest cotton prices since 1992.
“The average Texas price reported in September was 49 and « cents per pound, compared with last year’s average of 60 and « cents per pound,” he said. In Southwest Texas, extension economist Joe Pena said rainfall is helping to revive pastures and ranges that had remained in summer dormancy.
“The rain also allows small grain planting that had been delayed due to the dry spell,” he said.
He said forage availability, however, is below average for this time of the year.
“”It appears doubtful that the rain will allow sufficient overwintering forage to be produced before the first killing frost,” he said.
In the Coastal Bend, district extension director Lin Wilson said corn and sorghum fields are being prepared for next year’s crop.
“Some oats are still being dry planted for winter forage,” he said. “But acreage is down this year due to dry weather.”
Wilson said the pastures are grazed short.
“However, hay supplies are surplus,” he said. “Feeding may begin soon.”
Wilson said cattle are in good condition.
“Runs are increasing in some areas as cows and calves are marketed,” he said. The following specific livestock, crop and weather conditions were reported by district Extension directors:
PANHANDLE: soil moisture is very short to adequate. Corn harvest making progress with above average yields. Cotton bolls continue to open. Sunflower and peanut harvests continue. Good carrot yields reported. Wheat stands are moisture stressed in many areas.
SOUTH PLAINS: soil moisture is short to adequate. Pastures, ranges are fair to good. Cotton harvest continues. Corn harvest almost complete. Sorghum, soybeans and sunflower harvests continue. Very good peanut crop; harvest continues. Good crop of pecans.
ROLLING PLAINS: soil moisture is short. Wheat crop is in poor condition due to low soil moisture; producers are struggling with fall armyworm infestation. Peanut crop is progressing; quality grades have been good. Cotton yields have been poor.
NORTH TEXAS: soil moisture is very short to short. Peanut, soybean harvest nearing completion. Wheat is being dry planted; very little moisture. Warm season pastures have gone dormant. Supplemental feeding continues. Sweet potato harvest continues.
EAST TEXAS: soil moisture is very short. Peanut harvest continues. Some planting of wheat and oats. Pastures grazed short; supplemental feeding continues. Cattle conditions good. Dry conditions slowing winter garden activity. Pecan harvest under way.
FAR WEST TEXAS: soil moisture is very short. Cotton harvest under way; most yields are above average. Pasture quality declining due to lack of rainfall. Fall tomato production beginning. Early pecan varieties are maturing; growers facing aphid, caterpillar problems.
WEST CENTRAL TEXAS: soil moisture is short to short. Cotton harvest running smoothly; yields are below average. Very few acres of wheat dry sowed. Livestock in fair condition; supplemental feeding continues. Harvest is beginning for early maturing pecans.
CENTRAL TEXAS: soil moisture is very short. Pastures need rainfall; winter pasture planting is limited. Early harvest of pecans under way. Beds are prepared for oat planting; waiting for soil moisture. All crops are showing signs of stress due to lack of moisture.
SOUTHEAST TEXAS: soil moisture is very short to short. Mature pecans starting to drop; good yields are expected. Most harvests are complete with exception of second rice crop; pastures and field cultivation still require more moisture. Pastures are dry.
SOUTHWEST TEXAS: soil moisture is adequate. Rainfall revived pastures and ranges. Small grain planting beginning. Peanut harvest delayed by rainfall; excellent yield and quality have been reported. Fall vegetables are making good progress.
COASTAL BEND: soil moisture is short. Cotton harvest nearing completion. Corn, sorghum fields are being prepared for next year’s crop. Oats acreage down due to dry weather. Second rice harvest is under way. Cattle doing well; hay is in surplus.
SOUTH TEXAS: soil moisture is short to adequate. Sugarcane harvest under way. Pastures in good condition. Planting active on carrots, cabbage and onions. Citrus harvest has begun for the season with early oranges and some grapefruit being picked; not much volume.
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