Walt Corcoran grows cotton, peanuts and corn together with his son-in-law, Cody Younger, at Liikatchka Plantation close to Eufaula, Alabama. The Barbour County operation is a household farm that not solely nurtures the crops but additionally the individuals who admire the life-style it offers.
“My daddy, Sonny Corcoran, moved right here when he was 13, and I grew up scouting cotton and dealing with him on the farm,” Corcoran says. “After graduating from Auburn College with a level in agronomy, I got here again in 1983 and have been farming right here ever since. Immediately, Liikatchka Plantation operates as a household partnership.”
Younger got here on board a number of years after he married Corcoran’s daughter and says he enjoys the range every new day brings.
“Farming adjustments on a regular basis, so it’s important to like it, or you’ll get left behind,” Younger says. “It’s so simple as that.”
Nicely-Rounded Selection Decisions
In 2021, a number of PhytoGen® model varieties made up the roster for the farm’s 3,000 acres of principally dryland cotton. All of the PhytoGen W3FE varieties are proof against bacterial blight and have WideStrike® 3 Insect Safety. Additionally they are tolerant to Enlist® herbicides, glufosinate and glyphosate for versatile, efficient weed management choices.
“When selecting varieties, we’re searching for yield and high quality,” Corcoran says. “We additionally have a look at the best way a range comes up and the best way it grows.
“We’ve hardly needed to replant something prior to now a number of years since we’ve been rising PhytoGen. We like PhytoGen’s early season vigor. For those who don’t have that, you aren’t going to have the yields. It’s all tied collectively.”
In fields the place Corcoran and Younger have excessive ranges of root-knot nematode, they grew PhytoGen varieties with root-knot nematode resistance.
“The know-how labored rather well in these dangerous nematode fields,” Corcoran says.
PHY 411 W3FE Advances In 2022
As PhytoGen Horizon Community collaborators, Corcoran and Younger trialed the brand new PHY 411 W3FE in 2021. The extensively tailored, mid-season selection is commercially obtainable for the 2022 season. It options PhytoGen Breeding Traits for bacterial blight resistance and each root-knot nematode and reniform nematode resistance.
“PHY 411 W3FE grew effectively, had good vigor and didn’t quit,” Younger says. “We had a little bit spell of boll rot in the course of the season, and this selection didn’t appear to be affected by it an excessive amount of. I like that about it. PHY 411 W3FE yielded effectively, and the standard gave the impression to be good though I don’t have all of the bale knowledge again but.”
Enlist Weed Management System
Corcoran and Younger had been early adopters of the Enlist weed management system and have efficiently used it for a number of years.
“The primary factor we like concerning the Enlist system is how effectively it matches with our peanut crop,” Corcoran says. “We don’t have to fret about cross contamination on our cotton crop from the two,4-DB herbicides sprayed on peanuts, and Enlist is simple to clean out of the tank.”
Younger says pigweed is the first pest they aim with the Enlist system.
“We make an Enlist software with the hi-boy when the weeds are lower than 4 inches excessive, after which observe up per week to 10 days later with an software of glufosinate, which is a contact herbicide,” Younger says.
A Plan For The Future
Corcoran and Younger say they wish to plant a number of cotton varieties to keep away from placing “all of their eggs in a single basket.”
“4 hundred acres is the max we are going to plant to a brand new selection,” Younger says. “If it does effectively, we are able to increase these acres the subsequent 12 months. This 12 months, we are going to develop PHY 580 W3FE, PHY 411 W3FE, PHY 390 W3FE and a few PHY 443 W3FE.”
Each males agree it’s vital to make the farm higher for the subsequent era.
“That’s what it’s all about,” Corcoran says. “We need to be worthwhile so the household can proceed to have this lifestyle.”
