California Pima cotton growers faced with a challenging summer When consumers rest in fine Pima cotton sheets in coming years, or feel the silky smoothness of a Pima cotton shirt, they may not appreciate the stress that production of those luxurious products caused California Pima cotton growers during the summer of 2003. Last April was one of the coolest and wettest Aprils in the last two decades. Planting dates for some farmers were pushed as late mid-May, six to eight weeks later than last year. “Since it’s a premium product, Pima buyers have a low tolerance for weathering damage,” said Bob Hutmacher, UC cotton extension specialist based at the UC Shafter Research and Extension Center. “If it gets rained on in the fall and the cotton sustains weathering damage or goes into the module with a high moisture content, potential impacts on fiber quality and price are significant.” That means the pressure is on California Pima growers. “There won’t be much room for mistakes,” Hutmacher said. “Management efforts this year will have to be more intense. Plants will have to be monitored more closely. Insect control will have to be more aggressive.” Cotton is a nearly $1 billion industry in California. The majority of the state’s cotton is grown in the San Joaquin Valley, where most cotton acreage is Pima and Acala/Upland varieties that have been developed, tested and selected for quality characteristics through years of work by cotton breeders. These efforts have cemented the valley’s reputation as the source of the world’s highest quality cotton. Pima cotton was named for the Pima Indians of Arizona, who worked with USDA scientists breeding cotton on an experimental farm in Arizona in the early 1900s. The plant they developed produces cotton fibers that are longer, stronger and finer than Acala/Upland cotton fiber. Those qualities weave into a softer, but more durable fabric. Pima’s premium characteristics don’t go unrewarded. Pound for pound, it is valued 25 to 30 percent more than Acala. However, Pima varieties typically need 10 to 14 more days to grow in the field than Acala. When the season is squeezed by unseasonably cool weather in the spring or unseasonably wet weather in the fall, Pima growers suffer the most. A Pima cotton variety trial is being conducted at six sites in the San Joaquin Valley, including the two research and extension centers. At the West Side center, Hutmacher is studying plant growth regulator timing for Pima cotton. Growth regulators help farmers maintain cotton plant size suitable for optimum production. UCCE farm advisors Bruce Roberts (Kings County), Steve Wright (Tulare County), and Ron Vargas (Madera and Merced counties) are conducting Pima defoliation trials. Cotton plants are defoliated before harvest so green leaves do not stain the white fiber. Fresno County UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor Dan Munk is looking at Pima cotton crop water use. “Because Pima has a longer season, in general, it uses more water,” Munk said. “However, we’re seeing Pima do a good job of handling water stress in water-short years. It forages quite well for residual moisture deep in the soil.” Hutmacher said he is pleased Pima has put down roots in California and is an option in addition to Acala/Upland varieties. Pima still represents a small fraction of the US cotton crop. Across the country, Upland varieties, including Acalas, are planted on 16 million to 17 million acres, while Pima is on about 250,000 acres. But to the folks who are willing to pay more for superior cotton products, the availability of premium California cotton is invaluable. (July 2003) |
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Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California. All contents November 20, 2009 Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. |
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