| August 4, 2003 |
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Callahan, Coleman, Concho, McCulloch. Runnels, Taylor and Tom Green Counties have thrashed their wheat plots and the yield summaries of the wheat variety tests are linked. As you review the information, it is clear that Jagalene was a top performer in all the tests in our region in 2003. Abilene Ag #1, Cutter, Longhorn, TAM 111, Thunderbolt, Weathermaster 135, and WinMaster were top performers in a couple of tests.
Information from other regions (Panhandle, Central and South Texas) is linked for your review.
| I received this e-mail from Gaylon D. Morgan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Small Grains Specialist I met with Agri-Pro Seed, David Worrall and David Graf on July 21st to discuss obtaining seed for county variety trials and wheat variety protection issues. Agri-Pro requires an "Agripro Wheat Demo Seed Distribution Agreement" form be signed by a Specialist, CEA, EA-IPM or producer responsible for county demonstration plots. Otherwise, Agri-Pro will not provide seed for the county demonstration plots, especially not Clearfield wheat varieties. Basically, the agreement form is to prevent anyone from saving or selling any seed grown within the county demonstration plots. We are all familiar with similar legal documents, especially if GMO crops have been grown in your region. I have attached two documents for you to look over: 1. a blank agreement form, and 2. a general letter that I will send out. If you have any suggestions please contact me. There is no reason to take any action right now. I will send you hard copies of the form with the varieties listed and the Agri-Pro signature within the next week or so. I just wanted you guys to have the heads-up about this procedural change. TAES is also considering a similar form for its experimental lines currently in Foundation Seed. I will keep you updated Also, I need a list of varieties, quantity of each variety needed, and the total number of counties having a County variety demonstration in your District. I need a list of "Local" varieties that will be included in uniform variety tests. I will compile this information and add the necessary varieties to the agreement forms. I will send the forms to you to distribute to the CEAs, as necessary. Again, Agri-Pro and maybe Foundation Seed will only provide seed to those counties whose agents or producers have signed the agreement form. If any of the CEAs plan to have other Small Grains (oats, barley, etc.) please let me know. Developing a uniform variety trial for small grains in Texas is a specific task listed in my job description as the State Small Grains Specialist. So, of course, I am trying to develop a uniform variety trial for small grains in Texas. I met with the Wheat Improvement group on July 22nd and we discussed the locations, varieties, etc. associated with a uniform variety trial. I have attached a list of wheat varieties that should be included in all the variety trials across the state, a total of 23 entries (2145, 2174, AP 502 CL, Coronado, Custer, Cutter, Dumas, Jagalene, Jagger, Lockett, Longhorn, Ogallala, OK 102, Overly, Stanton, Sturdy 2K, TAM 101, TAM 107, TAM 110, TAM 110 CL, TAM 111, Thunderbolt and Trego). We will likely add a couple of TAMU experimental lines. Any "local" varieties that you want to add is highly encouraged. We just need to have the same varieties across the entire state, so that we will have a uniform variety trial. If in any way possible, these varieties should be the first 23+ entries of your test because compiling and analyzing the data will be much quicker for me. The county variety demonstrations are of course exempt from having the uniform varieties. Thanks in advance for getting the requested information to me. If you have any questions or advice, please give me a call. |
As daytime temperatures consistently go above 100 degrees F, the late planted cotton will have a problem developing functional bolls. As the small squares (less than five days of age) are developing, the heat generated from the soil surface is high enough to result in pollen sterilization. Generally, if there was only one or two days of these hot temperatures, most producers would not even notice the loss of bolls at flowering. However, with a week of these temperatures, we will have an obvious gap in the cotton fruiting pattern and producers will want to blame it on a flush of insects or something. In acreage where cotton plants have grown enough that the leaf canopy shades most of the soil surface, this will help reduce the problem.
How do you decide when to apply a growth regulator? No growth regulator is needed if the plant is:
August is a critical month for the late planted cotton acreage. The cotton floral buds that develop into blooms this month develop into the bolls that contribute the most to yield. Blooms from September 1 to September 10 will develop open bolls, most of the time, but they contribute little to lint yield and generally have poor fiber quality. Bolls set the last part of August will need a warm September and October to develop a mature boll.
Several growers have placed some political pressure to get insurance for sesame, and the result is that the Risk Management Agency of the USDA has issued a contract to Watts and Associates to develop a plan for sesame crop insurance. One of the first steps in the process is to conduct listening sessions composed of farmers, researchers, and industry. In these listening sessions, they need to identify the desire to have insurance and to understand the perils. If farmers, do not express an interest for crop insurance for sesame, there will be no insurance for the next 5 to 10 years.
There will be 3 sesame listening sessions as follows:
On August 11, there will be a training conducted at Abilene for producers needing to obtain a Private Applicators License. For more details and to register for the meeting call Gary Bomar at (325) 672-6048.
August 4, District Office, Office Conference
August 6, Scurry County, Establish Weed Control Test Plot
August 11, Taylor County, Small Grain Production Meeting
August 12, Tom Green County, District 7 Silver Clover Recognition
August 15, Tom Green County, Professional Ag Workers Meeting
August 20 & 21, Potter County, Texas Small Gain Workers Meeting
August 25, Taylor County, Retirement Function
August 25, Tom Green County, Retirement Function
August 26, Sterling County, Sprayer Calibration Training
August 28, Glasscock County, Establish Harvest Aid Test Plot
August 29, Tom Green County, Southern Rolling Plains Ginners Assn.
September 1, Holiday,
September 4, District Office, Sheep and Goat Field Day
September 8, District Office, Office Conference
September 9, Glasscock County, Cotton Crops Tour
September 12, Tom Green County, West Region Meeting
September 19, Tom Green County, Professional Ag Workers Meeting
September 20 - 26, Salt Lake City, Utah, Galaxy Conference
September 29, Taylor County, Specialist Scheduling
September 30, McCulloch County, Soil and Soil Fertility
Sincerely,
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