Management Practices of Cotton Producers in Lauderdale County, Tennessee

Eighty-one randomly selected cotton producers in Lauderdale County were interviewed for the purposes of: (1) characterizing those in different cotton yield groups, (2) determining which practices were being used by those in different yield groups, and (3) identifying some of the factors influencing the farmers to use or not to use the 12 practices studied. When highest and lowest yield groups were compared, it was found that the latter had: (1) a higher educational level, (2) a larger average size of farm, (3) more average acres of cropland, (4) a larger cotton allotment, (5) planted a larger acreage of cotton, and (6) harvested more average acres of cotton mechanically. With regard to adoption of 12 recommended cotton production practices studied, farmers in the highest yield group had the highest total average practice diffusion rating. Some other factors influencing cotton practice adoption included: (1) the net returns received per acre, (2) the adequacy of machinery and equipment, (3) the amount of technical knowledge of the operator, (4) the relative cost of the practices and benefits received, and (5) the seriousness of land preparation, planting and harvesting problems peculiar to cotton. (Author/CK)