Demonstration of Site-Specific Nematicide Placement in Cotton for Water Quality Enhancement, Higher Lint Yields, and Increased Farm Profits

Cotton is the most important agronomic crop in the southern U.S. with an estimated production value of $6 billion. The U.S. cotton industry lost an estimated $300 million to nematodes in 2003, and yield losses in individual fields may reach 50 percent. To combat these losses, producers often apply nematicides at a uniform rate across an entire field or farm. Nematodes are not, however, uniformly distributed within fields and applying a nematicide at one rate over an entire field can be both costly and environmentally damaging. Site-specific nematode placement (SNP) is an innovative technology that can minimize the effect of production practices on the environment while optimizing farm profits. This technology matches field variability of nematode distribution with an appropriate variable-rate nematicide application, differentially applying chemical to match the needs of individual management zones within a field. SNP technology can lead to substantial reduction in chemical use and their adverse impact on ground and surface water quality while increasing yields by applying nematicides only where damaging levels of nematodes occur. The purpose of this project is to engage producers in the demonstration and evaluation of SNP on suitable farms in South Carolina and Arkansas.