June 20, 2021 Cotton Advisories
Jun. 22, 2021
- The ridge of high pressure responsible for last week's extreme heat will slide east into Texas this week, producing a "cooling trend" that will reduce temperatures to normal levels by midweek. A weak upper level atmospheric disturbance will combine with increasing moisture levels to produce increasing clouds and a slight chance for showers Tuesday through Thursday. Rainfall totals are expected to be light with this system, but an occasional heavy shower with high winds and blowing dust is possible. High pressure rebuilds over the area late in the week bringing a return to above normal temperatures. Moisture levels are expected to decline with the return of the warmer temperatures.
- At this time of the crop season, particularly following the extreme heat we have experienced across the region the past 7-10 days, it is important to make a close evaluation of crop condition. The primary points of focus with a crop evaluation include: 1) stage of growth, 2) crop vigor, and 3) current fruiting patterns. Cotton plants should initiate fruiting e.g., first squares, on nodes 5-7. Fruit retention in the first two positions of each fruiting branch provides a very good indication of early fruiting patterns. Crop vigor can be assessed visually in a general manner with an experienced individual and height to node ratios can provide a quantitative index as a function of heat units after planting (HUAP). It is very important to avoid water stress at this stage of the season.
- Cotton heat stress, which results from a combination of high air temperatures and increased humidity, could intensify, and may reach Level 2 (L2) status. L2 stress often results in the shedding of young 3-5 day old bolls and lowers overall fruit retention. Last week's heat stress conditions are summarized for each location at the links below. For daily updates on heat stress see: https://www.ag.arizona.edu/azmet/cot-HSrpt.htm.
- Widely scattered and generally light precipitation fell across the Colorado Basin last week. Heavier totals were recorded east of the Continental Divide in Colorado and New Mexico. Map in the advisories shows the accumulated precipitation for the 7 days ending Sunday at 5 a.m.
- The links below are for Cotton Advisories as of June 20, 2021 for different production regions in Arizona: