By: John McLemore, County Extension Agent
Coffee County cotton production value to the state of Georgia is $57.33 million, according to the 2018 Georgia Farm Gate value. Growers’ management practices depend upon information received from University of Georgia Extension, local agriculture suppliers, and their peers.
Upon time spent in the county I saw a need for an on-farm research variety performance trial. Therefore, I decided to participate in the UGA On-Farm Cotton Variety Evaluation Program. Through this program, extension agents partner with a local cotton grower to put in a cotton variety trial on the farm. Cooperating growers, county agents and specialists get the opportunity to see how new and existing cotton varieties perform on the local level with normal grower input and management.
The cotton varieties in this year’s UGA On-Farm Cotton Variety Evaluation Program on-farm trial were DG 3615 B3XF, DP 1646 B2XF, PHY 500, ST 5471 GLTP, DP 1851 B3XF, DP 1840 B3XF, ST 5600 B2XF, PHY 400, CG 19XG9B3XF, NG 5711 B3XF, and NG 3930 B3XF. This year’s dryland cotton performance evaluation trial was conducted in Broxton, Georgia.
Coffee County Upcoming On-Farm Research Trials
The Coffee County Extension Agriculture and Natural Resource program goal is to provide quality applied research data to growers in Coffee County, and across the state of Georgia. In 2019, Coffee County Extension, in conjunction with Atkinson County Extension, conducted eight on-farm research trials.
In preparation for the 2020 row crop season, the goal is to have eight to 10 on-farm research trials across the county. I plan to conduct on-farm research trials in several commodity crops including corn, cotton, peanuts, soybeans, and tobacco. In addition to commodity crops, I plan to conduct an on-farm weed science and irrigation efficacy trial. I have grower cooperators for the cotton, peanut, and tobacco on farm research trials. However, I am seeking cooperators for a corn and a soybean on-farm research trial. If interested please contact me as soon as possible at john.mclemore@uga.edu or 912-384-1402). I will provide more information to those interested upon request.
Remember, if you ate today, please thank a farmer!