Seed Technology Boosts South Carolina Cotton Farmer

It’s generally considered to be one of the best production years in the Carolinas in recent memory and Kirby Johnson who farms 400 acres of cotton near Mayesville, South Carolina in Sumter County had this comment about this year’s cotton:

“It’s probably the best yields we have had.”
 

Even with the early spring, Johnson says they held out to plant on time:
 

“We did. We planted on time. We were a little dry starting out, and by the time the cotton was squared we started to get the good rain.”
 

Johnson split varieties on his farm this year:
 

“We planted a lot of PhytoGen cotton this year as well as Delta Pine. It was a little easier to control the weeds with the PhytoGen.”
Johnson says resistant Palmer pigweed has been an issue on his farm in recent years.
 

The dual variety system, implemented to combat resistant Palmer pigweed seems to have contributed to Johnson’s increased yield this year, as well as just better varieties overall:
 

“I think the technology in the seed has increased it, as well as different varieties. I think the varieties are better than what we used to have.”
 

Johnson says that cotton yields on his farm have averaged 800 pounds to the acre in years past, but this year:
 

“We got 800-1000 pounds and maybe over 1000 on some. This has been the best average yield that we have seen.”
 

Kirby Johnson, Sumter County South Carolina Farmer.

For more on our harvest series from the Carolinas, click here  and see how your friends and neighbors are doing this year.