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Cotton 2005. Ouachita Fertilizer. River Parishes. Ouachita Commitment to you. Increase yields Lower Costs / Unit Produced Help solve specific production problems that limit profitability Value Offering Consistency and Reliability Cost effectiveness Leveraged Investment.
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Cotton 2005 Ouachita Fertilizer River Parishes
Ouachita Commitment to you • Increase yields • Lower Costs / Unit Produced • Help solve specific production problems that limit profitability Value Offering • Consistency and Reliability • Cost effectiveness • Leveraged Investment
Delta Smart Systems What is DSS? • A precise data-gathering system collected to improve grower profitability • Records production practices used on the farm • Uses on-board to capture yield data • Uses USDA grading standards to measure impact on quality • Utilizes a large data base Community to analyze data • Confidential
Delta Smart Systems What is DSS? • More than just a database • Ties together all production data with local weather station data • Ties together all production data with field observations and samples
Delta Smart Systems Ouachita Fertilizer’s method of introducing the new science of crop phenology Translation: Understanding how weather impacts crop production practices
Delta Smart Systems • Utilizes technology to reach higher yields and lower grower’s cost • Increases crop uniformity, the key to higher yields • Helps predict production grades for targeted markets • Helps avoid repeated mistakes: continuous improvement
Cotton Acres in Louisiana From 2002 to 2003, about 34% of all cotton acres were irrigated. (USDA)
Regional Analysis • Split DSS data into three regions • To customize recommendations • To provide local solutions • Identify and remove limiting factors to yield and quality
DSS in 2004 • 15,000 acres in 2004 • 50 plant tissue samples • 250 field observations • Two satellite weather stations
Plant Analysis • Tool for in-season use to determine and manage plant nutrient levels and ratios • Some elements can be corrected in-season with Foliar Applications
Value Offering • Enables growers to identify nutrients that limit yields or quality: improve plant health • Allows deficiencies or imbalances to be corrected in-season to increase profits. • Helps avoid the application of excessive rates and unnecessary nutrient applications are avoided.
Disease Protection* • Balanced nutrients have proven to reduce disease pressure in cotton: • Verticillium • Pythium, fusarium, root rot and nematodes *Management of Diseases with Macro- and Microelements, APS Press, 1993
Early Bloom Plant Tissue Average Cotton Plant Analysis 2004
Early Bloom Plant Tissue River Parishes: • 100% low in Zinc • 100% low in Copper • Copper is limited with alkaline soils: no data available to compare copper treatments on cotton.
DSS in 2004: River Parishes • 20 lbs. of banded P gave a 230 lb. cotton yield increase. • An investment of $12.00 in Phosphate returned $130.00 • Banding 20 lbs. of P equals 40+ lbs. broadcast
DSS in 2004: River Parishes • 20 lbs. of banded K gave a 443 lb. cotton yield increase. • An investment of $12.00 in Potassium returned $220.00 • Banding 20 lbs. of K equals 40+ lbs. broadcast
Sulfur on Cotton • Required on sandy soils or soils with low organic matter • Sulfur deficiencies look much like nitrogen deficiencies, pale-green leaves on the upper part of the plant. • Sulfur deficiency appears on new growth
Zinc Problems in Cotton • Laser leveling, high copper, iron and manganese concentrations • Highly alkaline soils • Low VAM* levels • Cool wet periods which affect root movement *VAM-Vascular Microorganisms
Magnesium in Cotton • Usually associated with low soil pH, especially with very high Mn levels. • Little yield data available to compare Mg applications in cotton.
DSS in 2004: River Parishes • Increasing boron rates from 1.6 lbs. To 2.2 lbs. increased lint by 425 lbs. • An investment of $1.50 returned over • $200.00
DSS in 2004: River Parishes • Other results: • 130 lbs. N gave the highest yields • Wet soils can lose N to the air. • 10 lbs. sulfur increased yields by 162 lbs. of cotton compared to no sulfur • Plant issue samples were low in zinc and copper
Cotton Fertility 2005 River Parishes (lbs. / acre)
Results from DSS: River Parishes Varieties: top two varieties • DP 5415 RR • DP 555 BGRR Other Varieties that did well in other Regions of the State were: *Stoneville 55999 BBGRR *Pay 1218 BGRR *FM 960 BGRR Population • 45,000 planted seeds per acre produced 400 lbs. more cotton than 55, 000 seeds per acre.
Results from DSS: River Parishes Five-Day GDU Accumulation ST Joe 2004 1200 lbs Cotton GDUs by Planting Date
Results from DSS: River Parishes • Planting on April 15 and April 16 was the optimum planting date. • Planting at .75 inches deep produced 100 lbs. more cotton than planting at 1.5 inches deep. • Planting cotton after corn produced 200 lbs. per acre than cotton after cotton. This area provided the highest return for planting cotton after corn.
DSS Summary • 15,000 acres in 2004 • 50 plant tissue samples • 250 field observations • Two satellite weather stations • DSS split LA cotton into three distinct areas to better understand profitable cotton production
DSS Summary • Cotton seeding rates performed best at 45,000 seeds per acre in 2004. • Using weather stations to forecast 25 GDU accumulations the first five days after planting is an effective tool to use as a planting guide. • We have weather stations running now and can have the information sent to you.