1 Cotton 2005 Ouachita Fertilizer River Parishes

2 Ouachita Commitment to you Increase yields Lower Costs / Unit Produced Help solve specific production problems that limit profitability Value Offering Consistency and Reliability Cost effectiveness Leveraged Investment

3 Delta Smart Systems What is DSS? A precise data-gathering system collected to improve grower profitability Records production practices used on the farm Uses on-board to capture yield data Uses USDA grading standards to measure impact on quality Utilizes a large data base Community to analyze data Confidential

4 Delta Smart Systems What is DSS ? More than just a database Ties together all production data with local weather station data Ties together all production data with field observations and samples

5 Ouachita Fertilizer’s method of introducing the new science of crop phenology Translation: Understanding how weather impacts crop production practices Delta Smart Systems

6 Utilizes technology to reach higher yields and lower grower’s cost Increases crop uniformity, the key to higher yields Helps predict production grades for targeted markets Helps avoid repeated mistakes: continuous improvement

7 Cotton Acres in Louisiana From 2002 to 2003, about 34% of all cotton acres were irrigated. (USDA)

8 Cotton Yields: Lbs. Per Acre

9 Regional Analysis Split DSS data into three regions To customize recommendations To provide local solutions Identify and remove limiting factors to yield and quality

10 DSS in ,000 acres in plant tissue samples 250 field observations Two satellite weather stations

11 Plant Analysis Tool for in-season use to determine and manage plant nutrient levels and ratios Some elements can be corrected in-season with Foliar Applications

12 Value Offering Enables growers to identify nutrients that limit yields or quality: improve plant health Allows deficiencies or imbalances to be corrected in-season to increase profits. Helps avoid the application of excessive rates and unnecessary nutrient applications are avoided.

13 Disease Protection* Balanced nutrients have proven to reduce disease pressure in cotton: Verticillium Pythium, fusarium, root rot and nematodes *Management of Diseases with Macro- and Microelements, APS Press, 1993

14 Early Bloom Plant Tissue Average Cotton Plant Analysis 2004

15 Early Bloom Plant Tissue River Parishes: 100% low in Zinc 100% low in Copper Copper is limited with alkaline soils: no data available to compare copper treatments on cotton.

16 DSS in 2004: River Parishes 20 lbs. of banded P gave a 230 lb. cotton yield increase. An investment of $12.00 in Phosphate returned $ Banding 20 lbs. of P equals 40+ lbs. broadcast

17 DSS in 2004: River Parishes 20 lbs. of banded K gave a 443 lb. cotton yield increase. An investment of $12.00 in Potassium returned $ Banding 20 lbs. of K equals 40+ lbs. broadcast

18 Sulfur on Cotton Required on sandy soils or soils with low organic matter Sulfur deficiencies look much like nitrogen deficiencies, pale-green leaves on the upper part of the plant. Sulfur deficiency appears on new growth

19 Zinc Problems in Cotton Laser leveling, high copper, iron and manganese concentrations Highly alkaline soils Low VAM* levels Cool wet periods which affect root movement *VAM-Vascular Microorganisms

20 Magnesium in Cotton Usually associated with low soil pH, especially with very high Mn levels. Little yield data available to compare Mg applications in cotton.

21 DSS in 2004: River Parishes Increasing boron rates from 1.6 lbs. To 2.2 lbs. increased lint by 425 lbs. An investment of $1.50 returned over $200.00

22 DSS in 2004: River Parishes Other results: 130 lbs. N gave the highest yields Wet soils can lose N to the air. 10 lbs. sulfur increased yields by 162 lbs. of cotton compared to no sulfur Plant issue samples were low in zinc and copper

23 Cotton Fertility 2005 N130 P20 K S10 B2.2 Zn2 River Parishes (lbs. / acre)

24 Results from DSS: River Parishes Varieties: top two varieties DP 5415 RR DP 555 BGRR Other Varieties that did well in other Regions of the State were: *Stoneville BBGRR *Pay 1218 BGRR *FM 960 BGRR Population 45,000 planted seeds per acre produced 400 lbs. more cotton than 55, 000 seeds per acre.

25 Results from DSS: River Parishes Five-Day GDU Accumulation ST Joe 2004 GDUs by Planting Date 1200 lbs Cotton

26 Results from DSS: River Parishes Planting on April 15 and April 16 was the optimum planting date. Planting at.75 inches deep produced 100 lbs. more cotton than planting at 1.5 inches deep. Planting cotton after corn produced 200 lbs. per acre than cotton after cotton. This area provided the highest return for planting cotton after corn.

27 DSS Summary 15,000 acres in plant tissue samples 250 field observations Two satellite weather stations DSS split LA cotton into three distinct areas to better understand profitable cotton production

28 DSS Summary Cotton seeding rates performed best at 45,000 seeds per acre in Using weather stations to forecast 25 GDU accumulations the first five days after planting is an effective tool to use as a planting guide. We have weather stations running now and can have the information sent to you.

29 Cotton Schedule of Events