Talkin' Cotton Podcast
Welcome to the UGA Cotton Team's Talkin' Cotton Podcast. This is a podcast for cotton growers, county agents, industry partners and anyone else interested in learning about science-backed cotton production and pest management. Our goal is to educate you with the most up-to-date data and information all season long. Talkin' Cotton will feature guests, such as, extension specialists, research faculty, graduate students, extension agents, industry allies and many others! Let's get into the why's of puttin' on, throwin' off and cuttin' out.
Episodes
56 episodes
Georgia Cotton Drought Playbook
Georgia cotton is trying to get started with one hand tied behind its back: dry soil, low ponds, and more pivots running in late April than most of us like to see. We sit down with Dr. Bob Kemerait, Dr. Wes Porter, and Dr. Phillip Roberts to br...
How To Stay Ready When Rain Won’t Show Up
Cotton season can feel like a race when it’s warm in April and the rain won’t come. We sit down with Dr. Taylor Singleton and Mrs. Sarah Hobby to get practical about what actually works in a Georgia drought spring: how to avoid “planting on hop...
Georgia Cotton Insect Updates For 2026 And What To Do First
Jassids didn’t “ease into” Georgia cotton, they exploded across the map. We recorded this update heading into 2026 because what we learned in 2025 changes how we scout, how fast we react, and how we protect yield when a new insect pest shows up...
Jealous Of Jassids And Afraid Of Nematodes - Bob Kemerait's 2026 Update
One wrong assumption in a cotton field can get expensive fast. We sit down with UGA’s Dr. Bob Kemerait to talk through the 2026 decisions that are easy to “cut out” on a spreadsheet but hard to recover once the planter runs, especially nematode...
Practical Rules For Pesticides, ESA Labels, And Cover Crop Payoffs
Cotton growers are juggling new label realities, tight margins, and the pressure to do right by their land and communities. We tackle all three with a practical roadmap: how to meet ESA requirements without guesswork, how to build records that ...
Science Over Noise: Saving Tools, Fields, And Future Cotton
The weeds aren’t waiting—and neither are the courtrooms. We sat down with Dr. Stanley Culpepper to unpack why the biggest threats to your herbicide toolbox aren’t just resistance anymore, but activist lawsuits, policy shifts, and social narrati...
Irrigation, Planting, And Precision Ag Wins For 2026 Cotton
Stop watering cotton that’s ready to pick. We dive straight into the decisions that protect margins in 2026: getting pivots uniform, setting planters for true depth, dialing fertility with grid sampling, and timing irrigation to the crop’s chan...
From Trials To Fields: Smarter Variety Selection For 2026
Prices are stubborn, inputs aren’t getting cheaper, and acres have shifted—but we still need cotton in Georgia. We take you inside the decisions that matter most for 2026: choosing stable, above‑average varieties with multi‑year proof, pairing ...
Spring County Meeting Updates Preview
We’re rolling out a series of recorded updates from every Georgia cotton specialist so you can hear the what, why, and when behind this season’s key recommendations—without rearranging your whole week. Consider this your on‑demand compani...
Georgia Cotton Commission Annual Meeting: Speakers, Topics, And What Growers Need To Know
We preview the Georgia Cotton Commission annual meeting in Tifton with clear updates on pests, policy, markets, and risk. Speakers from UGA, USDA, and the National Cotton Council share what growers need to do now and how to prepare for 2026.
When Your Sprayer Belt And The Market Both Snap
Strong yields, premium fiber, and a price that refuses to budge—this season is a study in contrasts. We open with hard numbers: Georgia sits near 70% harvested and ahead of the five-year pace, while USDA’s updated estimate pegs statewide yield ...
Georgia Cotton Harvest: Data, Decisions, and Defoliation
A strong crop and a tighter runway. We kick off with a clear snapshot of Georgia cotton quality and why harvest has suddenly accelerated, then dive into the decisions that will define the finish: defoliation timing ahead of a hard freeze, readi...
From Jassids to Gins: Yield, Defoliation, and Smart Soil Moves in Georgia Cotton
Yields are coming in hot and the lessons are even hotter. We walk the rows with real numbers—1,200 to 1,400 pounds in several spots, three-bale reports on tough ground—and dig into what actually moved the needle: on-time jassid control, patient...
Maximizing Cotton Yield: The Drought, Defoliation, and Cover Crop Connection
The cotton crop is moving fast in Georgia this year. With 76% of the crop having open bolls—13% ahead of the five-year average—growers are making critical end-of-season decisions while planning for what comes next.Drought conditions sin...
When Fields Turn Yellow: The Critical Timing of Cotton Harvest
A critical transition point has arrived for Georgia cotton producers as this year's crop races toward harvest readiness. With 51% of bolls already opening—well ahead of the five-year average—growers face important decisions about defoliation ti...
Managing Late-Season Cotton Challenges
The Georgia cotton crop is racing toward harvest with 21% of bolls already opening—about 5% ahead of the five-year average. This early September period brings ideal "cotton weather" with cool mornings in the high 60s and daytime temperatures ar...
Proposed Dicamba Regulations: What Georgia Cotton Growers Need to Know
In this special episode, Dr. Stanley Culpepper breaks down the proposed regulatory changes with respect to dicamba that every cotton grower needs to understand before the September 6th comment deadline.Dr. Culpepper first highlights Geo...
Beyond The Shed: What Your Cotton Plants Are Really Telling You
The Georgia cotton crop is showing signs of change as August progresses, with growers witnessing fruit shed across fields statewide. This episode dives deep into the natural processes driving cotton fruit abscission and whether you should be co...
Breaking the System: Why Your Pest Management Decisions Matter
Hot weather, resistant pests, and critical timing decisions take center stage as the University of Georgia Cotton Team tackles the challenges of mid-season cotton insect management. This episode delivers practical, field-tested guidance for gro...
Drop Cloths and PGRs - July in the Cotton Field
Cotton is progressing on schedule with 79% squaring and 32% setting bolls, and the UGA team sees strong potential for the 2025 crop despite some management challenges.• Stink bug management critical now as cotton sets bolls, with scouts...
2025 Georgia Cotton Commission Mid-Year Meeting
Mr. Taylor Sills, Executive Director of the Georgia Cotton Commission, joins Drs. Camp Hand and Phillip Roberts to discuss the 2025 Georgia Cotton Commission Mid-Year Meeting. Registration and agenda can be found at https://georgiacottoncommiss...
Considerations for insect, foliar disease, and irrigation management in July 2025
Drs. Phillip Roberts, Wes Porter, Bob Kemerait, and Camp Hand discuss the current status of the Georgia crop and some thoughts surrounding insect management, management of foliar diseases, and irrigation.
Late plantings and first blooms - considerations for the Georgia crop
Drs. Phillip Roberts, Wes Porter, Henry Sintim, and Camp Hand discuss considerations surrounding the current status of Georgia's cotton crop, from newly planted cotton to cotton entering peak bloom.