Cotton Production in Mississippi
Cotton
is a major crop in Mississippi. It ranks third behind poultry and forestry
in state commodities with $598 million dollars of revenue produced
each year.
Mississippi producers plant approximately 1.1 million acres of cotton annually. This number seems to fluctuates depending on weather, price of production and current commodity markets.
The highest acreage recorded in Mississippi was in 1930 when 4.163 million acres were planted to cotton. The highest production year was 1937 when 2.692 million bales were produced over 3.421 million acres. The highest cotton yields were received in 2004 with 1034 pounds of lint produced per acre. This same year there were 2.346 million bales produced almost as much as in 1937 with one third of the acreage. This yield beat the previous yield of 934 lbs in 2003.
Many changes have occurred over the last few years in cotton production:
- Boll Weevil Eradication efforts
have been successful and the Boll Weevil is no longer a problem pest
in Mississippi.
- Transgenic Cotton Varieties
containing the following Genes: Roundup Ready, BollGard I & II,
WideStrike and Liberty Link have become very popular and the majority
of the cotton acres in Mississippi are planted in some type of transgenic
variety.
- Growers are realizing the benefits of reduced tillage programs to increase yields and profit margins.
The major insect pests in cotton have also shifted. The Boll Weevil used to be the main pest, followed by Tobacco Budworms and Cotton Bollworms. However, with the introduction of the new technologies and success of the Boll Weevil Eradication program, the Tarnished Plant Bug has now become the number one pest in Mississippi cotton production.
Cotton is and will continue to be a major crop in the state of Mississippi. With the current varieties and technology available average cotton yields in Mississippi may have risen to a higher plateau than in years past. Technological advances in transgenic cotton varieties have allowed cotton to be managed and produced easier than ever before and these advances continue to be major reasons that yields have continued to increase over the past few years.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Questions following a hurricane
- How do you estimate yield by boll counting? PDF
- How do you estimate potential yield loss? PDF
- Will foliar feeding seedling cotton increase yield?
- What are Mississippi's freeze dates?
- Can you tell me about sprayer calibration?
- What is the recommended seeding rate for cotton?
- What should be the soil temperature at planting time?
- What percentage of my crop should I plant in Bt?
- How do I use germination test results?
- What final live plant population should I target?
- What variety, or varieties should I plant?
- Should I replant?
- What should I do about hail damage?
Publications
- MSUcares Cotton publications
- Handling and Storing Fertilizers
- Weed Response to Selected Herbicides
- Herbicide Resistance - Prevention and Detection
- Handling and Storing of Pesticides
- An Overview of Worker Protection Standards
- Farm Chemical Safety Series - Pesticide Injuries and First Aid
- Insect Control Guide for Corn, Cotton, and Soybeans 2008
- Cotton Variety Lint Yield and Fiber Quality Responses to Seeding Rates
- Nonirrigated Spindle Picker 15-Inch and Wide-Row Cotton Production Systems Analysis
Other Cotton Information
- Cotton Insects
- Cotton Insect Situation Newsletter
- Weeds in Cotton
- Cotton Pickin' Page
- Cavitation
- Using Hooded Sprayers
- Drainage - Water Furrows
- Plant Mapping
- Delta Research and Extension Center Weather/GIS Center
- Cotton, Inc.
- National Cotton Council
Cotton Defoliation
Cotton Disease and Damages
Nutrient Management