Source: NCSU COLLEGE OF AG & LIFE SCIENCES, 6/8/20


Not all farms grow food.  Fiber is another important component of North Carolina’s agricultural economy.  Cotton is NC’s second-largest cash crop with over a half-million acres grown each year.  It’s a high risk, high reward crop. A grower’s success hinges on international markets, weather windows, and other factors that drive planting decisions.  NC State Crop and Soil Sciences Extension offers agronomic decision tools to help growers navigate their way to success.

Cotton is often part of a crop rotation or diversified farm plan and is heavily dependent on infrastructure. Proximity to a gin is essential to process the harvested lint and access global markets. Overall, cotton can be expensive to grow, with 25-30% of the total production cost invested at planting, primarily from seed cost.  

Seed Speed
New seed varieties are now being replaced about every two to three years with a number of improvements including pest tolerance, leaf shape, fiber quality, and more. This rapid development timeline requires growers to react nimbly and to understand which varieties are best suited to their conditions. No small feat while under pressure from high seed cost and numerous varieties from which to choose.  

Weather is the great common denominator in field crops. Cotton has unique limiting factors that can make or break a harvest. Temperatures at planting and soil moisture are the two most critical components to an auspicious start. But cotton’s planting window is narrow, often putting growers on the run from late May crop insurance deadlines.

For the full story, click here.