2000 Peanut, Cotton and Tobacco Performance Tests

The Season

For the third consecutive year, Georgia farmers' fields were extremely dry with above normal temperatures at the beginning of the spring planting season. Growing conditions did not improve during 2000 as low rainfall and very high temperatures occurred across the state. Georgia producers struggled trying to get acceptable stands in dry soils and, except where irrigation was used, the planting season lagged behind the normal pace.

The severe drought that Georgia experienced during 1998 and 1999 continued throughout the 2000 growing season. Rainfall at the six Georgia test sites is listed in the table below. Total seasonal rainfall amounts were below normal for the third consecutive year. The least amount of rainfall occurred across the Piedmont region and middle of the state, with one site receiving only about half (58%) of long-term average.

For the year 2000, the irrigated crops were generally good, but more than normal irrigation was needed. Most areas experienced water shortages and long periods of very high temperatures at critical crop development stages.

Georgia farmers continue to reduce planted acres of some row crops. Peanut and tobacco acres were 507,000 and 30,000 -- or a reduction of 7 percent and 9 percent, respectively, from 1999. Cotton acreage remained steady for the year at 1.3 million. Farmers continue to search for drought tolerant crops.

Overall, the 2000 growing season was extremely difficult for farmers. For example, even with irrigation on cotton, the extremely high temperatures reduced state irrigated average of cotton lint yield to under 1,000 pounds per acre for the first time on record. Tobacco Mosaic Virus was a serious problem in some tobacco fields. Peanut farmers continue to experience damage from Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus in their peanut fields.

The harvest season began earlier than normal due to early frost and a very dry October and November. Peanut production increased 1 percent due to an 8-percent increase in average yield over 1999. Tobacco and cotton yields increased 19 percent and 3 percent, which produced 8 percent and 3 percent more than 1999, respectively.