The wet planting season that delayed Oklahoma’s cotton crop provided much-needed moisture after almost four years of drought, but also created problems with weed control.
Even farmers who followed OSU Extension recommendations to use residual herbicides faced weed control issues, says Extension state cotton leader Randy Boman. “We have to wonder what those fields would have looked like if they had not used a residual herbicide program. Residual herbicides did work.”
Added weed control expenses will take a bite out of profit potential, already hampered by low market prices.
Boman said new technology expected to be available next year should help farmers deal with hard-to-control and resistant weeds. Monsanto’s XtendFlex and Dow’s Enlist Duo should have full labels for the 2016 growing season and will offer producers more options for timely weed control.
Even with the delay and the weed issues, Boman expects to see a respectable crop from the near 200,000 acres of Oklahoma cotton.
