Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri), a member of the "pigweed" family, is one of the most troublesome weeds in many southern row crops. Seed can germinate all season and plants can grow to over 6 feet in height. Plants have either male flowers that shed pollen or female flowers that can produce up to 600,000 seed per plant. One Palmer amaranth per 30 foot of row can reduce cotton yield by 6 to 12%.

Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri), a member of the "pigweed" family, is one of the most troublesome weeds in many southern row crops. Seed can germinate all season and plants can grow to over 6 feet in height. Plants have either male flowers that shed pollen or female flowers that can produce up to 600,000 seed per plant. One Palmer amaranth per 30 foot of row can reduce cotton yield by 6 to 12%.

The most commonly available nitrogen fertilizer sources used in Virginia are urea, liquid urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) solution, and ammonium sulfate. Ammonium nitrate is also available in some areas but its use is low relative to urea and UAN solution. Understanding the properties of these fertilizers enables managers to make better decisions as to the most effective way to use these fertilizers as well as to make economic comparisons.

The Virginia Pest Management Guide (PMG) series lists options for management of major pests: diseases, insects, nematodes, and weeds. These guides are produced by Virginia Cooperative Extension and each guide is revised annually. PMG recommendations are based on research conducted by the Research and Extension Division of Virginia Tech, in cooperation with other land-grant universities, the USDA, and the pest management industry.

The mature and dried stem, leaves, and chaff remaining after barley and wheat are harvested is known as straw. Many farmers around Virginia harvest straw by baling in small bales, large round bales, or large square bales that range in weight from 40 to 1,000 lbs. plus per bale.

Spring nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) applications to wheat in Virginia are imperative for high yielding systems. Questions often arise regarding the last Spring N and S application split (GS30) as temperatures rise and chances for wheat injury increase. Especially for S containing fertilizers, chances of foliar injury or “burn” may also increase. Does this foliar injury decrease yields? What management practice should a farmer utilize to reduce risks?

The official cotton variety testing program (OVT) seeks to evaluate commercial and experimental lines across a wide range of locations in Southeast Virginia to determine performance of varieties based on yield and lint quality.

Early summer often means locally heavy and sporadic rainfall as thunderstorms deliver intense rains, and 2018 appears to be no different with many areas in eastern Virginia receiving 3+ inches of rain in a few days (Figure 1). These storms also often coincide with the timing of sidedress nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) applications on corn. While some rainfall after sidedress is very beneficial to facilitate N movement into soil, heavy rain (2+ inches) often leaves us wondering how much, if any, of that recently-applied N remains and if additional N is needed.

This publication is the 2024 results for the Official Cotton Variety Testing Program and On-Farm Testing Program.

The research and demonstration plots discussed in this publication are a cooperative effort by Virginia Cooperative Extension employees, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, numerous producers, and many members of the Virginia agribusiness community. The fieldwork and printing of this publication are mainly supported by the Virginia Corn Check-Off Fund through the Virginia Corn Board. This is the forty-second year of this multi-county cooperative project. Further work is planned for 2026. Anyone who would like a physical copy of this publication should contact their local extension office, who can request a copy from the VCE Northumberland County Office.