The 2022 South Carolina cotton crop is shaping up to be a good one.

“Cotton specialists are known to bad mouth a crop. I cannot bad mouth this crop. We’ve got about 260,000 acres (of cotton in South Carolina). We’re probably pushing a 900-pound yield this year. We’ve had really good weather, other than the last week in July, early August. Not a lot of insect issues, not a lot of problems. We’re not going to have a record yield like we did last year, but I think it’s one of our better crops,” says Clemson University Extension Cotton Specialist Mike Jones.

In 2021, South Carolina saw one of its best cotton crops ever in terms of yield and quality. According to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), South Carolina saw a record statewide average yield of 986 pounds per acre. Last, year South Carolina produced 425,000 bales of cotton on 207,000 acres.

Speaking at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center Field Day in Florence on Sept. 1, Jones noted that mostly cooperative growing conditions this year has helped the cotton crop progress nicely. The challenge is for cooperative weather to remain through harvest, as it did last year.

At the field day, Jones highlighted the Clemson OVT (Official Variety Trial) which he said is the best way for farmers to see how cotton varieties perform. Clemson has OVT trials at both the Pee Dee Research Station and the Edisto Research Station in Blackville, S.C., as well as two on-farm trials.

“They are small plot replicated trials where these varieties are planted side-by-side, head-to-head. They are unbiased, so the yield data that comes off is really what we get. Probably the biggest decision growers make is variety selection. If you pick the wrong variety, it can cost you 400 or 500 pounds, and you know with $1 cotton, that’s a $400 or $500 decision,” Jones said at the field day.

All four Clemson OVT trials are the same. This year, six cottonseed companies are represented with 44 total entries. Jones said each of the four OVT plots uses a randomized block design with four blocks and four replications with two-row plots.

Jones noted the Pee Dee trial was planted on May 2. He said five pounds of AgLogic, which is the old Temik, or aldicarb was applied. “I think you can really see a difference when you put that product out. These plants just jump out of the ground.”

Jones explained that each of the OVT plots are conventionally-tilled rather than strip-tilled to ensure a stand. As for nitrogen, 90 units of 28S was applied at pinhead square. The pre-emergence herbicide program was an application of Prowl at 2.4 pints and one pint of Reflex behind the planter. In addition, two applications of glyphosate and one application of Staple were made for late pigweed control.

Jones said he used a medium PGR (plant growth regulator) application with just two eight-ounce shots. Insecticide applications were made every seven to 10 days to ensure maximum yield and genetic potential of each variety in the OVT. Two applications of Prevathon where made early in the season to control mixed species of worms then Karate was applied, which took care of the stink bugs.

At the field day, Jones highlighted varieties in the OVT that show the greatest potential. He said in the last two years of the trial, the variety Winfield Armor 9371 was the best performer. “It looks really good this year. The only drawback I see with that variety is the staple has a tendency to be a little bit short. If we get some drought conditions, that one may come back to hit you.”

Jones said Deltapine 1646, which is in the OVT once again this year, remains the gold standard of cotton varieties in South Carolina and across the Cotton Belt. “It’s on 30% to 50% of our acres every year. It’s planted across the Cotton Belt because it is a really good variety, and it does well under a lot of different conditions. I cannot see anything replacing it right now. It also has really good fiber quality.”

Early maturing varieties Deltapine 2112, 2115, and 2127 are also in the OVT. “They have yielded as good as 1646 in our trials. If you’re planting late or behind wheat, those may be something you want to try,” Jones said

Jones said Deltapine 2141, a root knot nematode variety, really caught his eye. He said Deltapine 2141 yields just like Deltapine 1646, but the fiber quality is not the same as Deltapine 1646. He believes it is a good variety for  fields with a history of root knot nematodes.

Jones also said the variety Dynagrow 3799 has performed well as the varieties Americot 3195 and Americot  4190. Jones said he is leaning toward Americot 4190 because it offers a little later maturity and better fiber quality than Americot 3195.