Saik's Agri-Treks: The Mississippi Delta & Cotton Production

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Flat as a pancake. That’s how Rob Saik, host of Agri-Treks and founder of Agri-Trend, describes the Mississippi Delta. It’s an apt description, but that flat land and flood plain also produces some pretty amazing crops, including cotton. In this episode of Saik’s Agri-Treks we learn about how cotton grows, identify some of the quality challenges and get a first-hand look at how farmers deal with the incredible summer heat and the threat of flooding.

See more episodes of Saik’s Agri-Treks here!

A perennial crop, but grown as an annual in the southern U.S., Saik explains how growth regulators are used on cotton to manage crop growth and ease of harvest. We also learn about some of the production challenges, get a look at some interesting irrigation set ups for soybeans and get a peek at land leveling equipment they use even with such flat topography.

Saik also outlines the importance of genetic modification for this crop and compares the volume of pesticides that were used prior to and after the introduction of GM traits. The difference is quite astounding.

If you cannot see the embedded video, click here.

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