Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1990

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agriculture and Extension Education

Major Professor

Roy R. Lessly

Committee Members

Cecil E. Carter Jr., Paulus P. Shelby

Abstract

The major purpose of this study was to obtain information that might be useful in developing Extension plans and programs for the cotton producers of Tennessee, characterize cotton production in Tennessee, and identify variables related to the use of cotton production practices. A total of 243 cotton producers located in 13 Tennessee counties provided the survey data in 1987. Tennessee County Extension agents conducted personal interviews with the producers. The number method of sampling was used to select the producers to be surveyed. According to the guidelines of the survey, counties growing 2,500 to 10,000 acres of cotton annually interviewed 15 producers, counties growing 10,000 to 25,000 acres of cotton annually interviewed 20 producers, and counties growing over 25,000 acres of cotton annually interviewed 25 producers. Information was obtained regarding the general production practices and the number of contacts the producers had with Extension agents over a 12 month period.

The data were coded and computations were made by the University of Tennessee Computing Center. Chi square and a one-way analysis of variance F test were used to determine the strength of the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. Chi square and F values which achieved the .05 probability level were accepted as significant.

Major findings include the following:

Most producers planted at least two varieties of cotton, 90 percent of the producers planted certified seed, almost all of the producers planted at least part of their cotton acreage between the recommended planting dates of April 20-May 10, 241 of the 243 producers surveyed used a seed treatment for seedling disease control. Over 65 percent of the producers fertilized by soil test while 89 percent of the producers who used chemical defoliation applied the defoliant when 50 percent or more of the bolls were open and approximately 83 percent of the producers reported a yield of 480 to 959 pounds of lint per acre.

The mean yield per acre was significantly related to 18 out of 54 selected production practices used by Tennessee cotton producers. Producers who used the chisel plow or some "other" piece of equipment for seedbed preparation had higher yields than producers using other single or a combination of pieces of equipment. The variety planted was significantly related to the mean yield per acre as were the type of material used for seed treatment, the use of a soil treatment, and the use of a fungicide plus insecticide for seedling disease control.

Four of the fertilization practices (1) fertilized according to soil test, (2) limed by soil test, (3) pounds of nitrogen applied per acre-upland, and (4) pounds of boron per acre without soil test, were significantly related to mean yield. Producers who used a paid scout were more likely to have significantly higher mean yield than those producers who did not. Producers using chemical defoliation also had significantly higher yields than those not using the practice.

Findings also revealed significant relationships between the number of acres harvested and the use of 19 out of 52 selected production practices. The number of varieties planted, all of the selected practices related to planting dates, the practice of drilling acid-delinted seed, the type material used for seed treatment, the use of a soil treatment, use of a fungicide, and use of fungicide plus insecticide were all significantly related to the number of acres harvested. Larger producers were more likely to use the practices than were smaller producers. Four of the fertilization and liming practices were significantly related to the number of acres harvested. Larger producers were more likely than smaller producers to use rotation with corn or soybeans and to use post-directed chemical to control weeds, to need to control stink bugs, to scout for insects once per week, to use chemical defoliation, and to own a cotton picker.

There was a significant relationship between the total number of contacts producers had with Extension and 6 of the 46 selected cotton production practices. Producers with more Extension contacts were more likely than producers with fewer contacts with Extension to use a fungicide plus insecticide for seedling disease control, to fertilize according to soil test, to employ a paid scout, and to apply defoliant when 50 percent or more of the bolls were open.

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