Economic Analysis of Heavy Rye Cover Crop to Control Resistant Palmer Amaranth in Cotton

Effective weed control is a critical component of successful cotton production.  Weeds can reduce yield, interfere with harvest, and reduce fiber quality.  Weed control can become even more difficult when weeds become resistant to herbicides.  Palmar amaranth (PA) is Georgia’s most problematic weed in cotton and PA resistant to glyphosate is present in many of the state’s cotton-producing counties.  Resistance management programs have been developed to help cotton producers control resistant Palmer Amaranth reproduction, emergence, and growth.   In this research, such recommended and typical herbicide programs are compared to the alternative use of a heavy rye cover crop in conservation tillage systems.  Yield, costs, fiber quality, and net return are compared.