Cotton harvest is underway across key Southern states as temperatures in the 80s and 90s help drive final crop maturity. From West Texas and the Panhandle to the Mid-South and Delta, defoliation strategies are in full swing as USDA reports 60% of bolls open nationwide as of Sept. 21. States like Arkansas (79%), Georgia (76%), and Louisiana (89%) are seeing rapid progress.

In Tennessee, where cotton got off to a slow start due to a wet spring, early bolls are nearly 80% open, while later-maturing fields lag closer to 60%, says Tyson Raper, University of Tennessee Extension cotton specialist. Yields are expected to approach 900 pounds per acre, despite summer drought conditions that reduced potential.

"Residual fertilizer not absorbed during the dry summer is now triggering regrowth after recent rains," Raper says. "We may need higher rates of Folex, and likely a second shot to manage growth before harvest."

In the South Plains of Texas, defoliation on irrigated fields is set to begin in early October, with harvest projected around Oct. 20, according to Kerry Siders, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension IPM agent. Siders emphasizes the importance of Ethephon coverage, noting that the boll opener must contact the boll directly to be effective. He estimates some irrigated fields could reach 3.5 bales per acre, with dryland fields producing closer to 200 pounds per acre.

In central Texas, late-planted fields are now entering the defoliation window. Tyler Mays, another AgriLife Extension IPM agent, recommends Folex or Finish 6 as alternatives to Ethephon in cooler weather. In the Southern Blacklands, dryland yields are strong-ranging from 2 to 4 bales per acre, with average fields hitting 1 to 1.5 bales.

However, the news isn't as positive in Georgia, where the jassid leafhopper is making its destructive debut. Taylor Sills, executive director of the Georgia Cotton Commission, calls the pest's impact "catastrophic" in some areas. "Georgia is ground zero for this new insect threat," Sills says. "Some acres have been severely affected."

Bidrin remains the most commonly used pesticide for jassid control, though Carbine is also being applied. Sills says only a small percentage of Georgia cotton has been harvested, with crop maturity still highly variable-particularly for fields planted after June 1.

In Texas, no confirmed jassid presence has been reported, but monitoring is ongoing, especially among large retailers potentially importing ornamental plants harboring the pest. Ben McKnight, AgriLife Extension cotton specialist in College Station, says the Upper Gulf Coast is reporting slightly above-average yields and steady progress.

Across all regions, the next few weeks will be critical. Growers are watching the weather closely, balancing timely defoliation with insect threats and optimizing for maximum yield potential. If conditions hold, 2025 could still deliver a strong, if uneven, cotton harvest across the South