Field Day held in Manila

Dr. Fred Bourland discussed cotton variety testing in the sandy soil of the test plots.

There were 26 cotton varieties planted on the test plots at the Manila Airport.

Research is shared with local growers.

A large group attended the first field day held in Manila.

Comparing varieties.

The first field day at Manila drew a big crowd.

Field Day was held Tuesday, Sept. 9.

Dr. Tina Gray Teague discussed what she saw plant bugs do at the test plots. She shared with attendees some ways they can mange plant bugs and recover from the damage they do.

Ray Benson, Mississippi County Extension Staff Chair, talked about the pitfalls of irrigation in cotton - mainly the need to find a way to get the water to soak into the root zone. Benson said through using sensors that were buried at various depths throughout the test plots he and others learned that at 8 inches of depth the ground was dry. Benson said next year they will focus on ways to get water to soak into the root zone.

Jason Osborn shared with the public information about Phaucet Irrigation, a free program, that allows farmers to set-up irrigation that will evenly water their fields.

Farmers along with other field day attendees walked out into the test plots to get a closer look at the defoliated plants.

Looking at the cotton during the field day held at Manila.

Dr. Bill Robertson discussed several types of defoliation as well as foliar feeds.

Dr. Morteza Mozaffari discussed and demonstrated the difference between traditional urea nitrogen fertilizers and controlled release fertilizers and how it has been official to study the use of fertilizer in sandy soil.