The Nutsedge Problem from a Producer's Viewpoint

Robert N. Bowers


 
ABSTRACT

I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today and discuss the problem of nutsedge in cotton from a farmer's point of view. I have been farming with my dad for the past nine years and I have seen a small problem of nutsedge grow into a tremendous problem.

Our farm is located in West Texas. We irrigate our sandy loam soil with center pivot irrigation systems and farm cotton, peanuts and grain. The first nutsedge I remember seeing on our land was a small spot not more than a few feet across. WE were not aware of the real problem of nutsedge; if in fact we really knew what it was at all. However, it didn't take long for us to realize we were in trouble and were in for a long hard fight. Today 3/4 of our fields have some nutsedge on them. Some only have small spots but others have large areas infested with nutsedge. In the past nine years we have tried to learn all we possibly could about nutsedge control and have tried just about everything to stop the spread of it. As of today, we still don't have any answers.

At this time I would like to make some simple observations about the nutsedge on our farm. We primarily have yellow nutsedge but I feel there is a scattering of purple nutsedge in a few spots. The nutsedge likes the high moisture areas, therefore, we only have it on our irrigated areas. Right now we don't have it on our dryland corners. In our area nutsedge starts coming up at the same time we are ready to start planting cotton. This is usually about mid April. We have a nutsedge problem from the very start of the season.



Reprinted from 1987 Proceedings: Beltwide Cotton Production Research Conferences pg. 347
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998