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By Clint Thompson
Cotton prices may be down, but that should not discourage producers from following through on the University of Georgia fertilizer recommendations.
The Georgia Cotton Commission and UGA Extension Cotton Team remind growers that applying fertilizer below the recommended rates can be just as costly to the crop, due to a disproportionate reduction of yield potential and other fixed production costs that have already been incurred during the season.
“I strongly urge that we conduct soil tests and follow the fertilizer recommendations,” said Henry Sintim, a soil fertility and plant nutrition specialist, in an article in the UGA Cotton Team Newsletter. “A soil test predicts the amount of nutrients that will be made available from the soil by using soil test extractants intended to mimic the actions of roots in plant nutrient uptake.
“The amount of nutrients extracted by a particular soil test extractant is not as important as its ability to provide a reliable index of nutrient availability.”
Sintim recommends the use of poultry litter to augment inorganic fertilizer applications in cotton. It is a cheaper, yet effective, source of nutrients.