Nine treatments were applied to sm ooth brome on March 23, 20 12, to evaluate their effect on increasing forage production. RyzUp Sm artGrass ® (active ingredient = gibberellins (GA 3)) treatments were the only treatments which resulted in significantly tall er plants by 6 days post treatment, and continued to be significantly taller for 6 we eks p ost t reatment. Inclusion of 2,4-D wi th RyzUp SmartGrass ® resulted less growth than other RyzUp SmartGrass ® treatments, but greater than untreated smooth brome. SmartGrass RyzUp ® resulted in increased forage production even under very low nitrogen and phosphorus levels. Hay yields and associated economic data were unable to be collected due to drought conditions in 2012.

An experiment to determine response of DPL 164B2RF cotton to the plant growth regulators Stance TM and Mepiquat Chloride 4.2 was initiated in early July 2006 when crop was at four boll stage of development. Increasing amounts of mepiquat chloride active ingredient resulted in increasing levels of leaf chlorophyll content as measured with a Minolta SPAD 502 meter only on July 17. Stance TM treatments resulted in significantly lower leaf chlorophyll levels on July 24, al though on August 2 significantly higher levels of leaf chlorophyll was noted in cotton treated with 2 oz./acre rate of Stance or Mepiquat Chloride 4.2 than untreated cotton. Plant height and node measurement data on August 2 indicated that DPL164BR cotton heights increased and nodes per plant decreased a s level of mepiquat chloride active ingredient per acre increased. No statistical differences were noted for retention percentages or numbe rs of fruiting structures per plant. Treatments did effect certain cotton lint parameters, such as reducing micronaire by 0.1, as well as reducing lint fiber uniformity. Stance TM treatments resulted in

Seven foliar fertilizers containing calcium were applied to DPL449BR cotton in the Palo Verde Valley on June 24, 2005, immediately after three consecutive days of level one stress. Plants had been blooming prior to application and had several open blooms per plant at time of application. All treatments increased level of leaf chlorophyll by at least 7.4% when compared with the untreated check as with a Minolta 502 SPAD meter on July 7, wi th gr eatest ( 21.3%) increase note d fr om Calcium Metalosate ® . No statistical differences were noted for this parameter on July 13, and b y July 21 highes t mean leaf chlorophyll content was noted fr om untreated cotton. Leaf chlorophyll was lowest in unt reated cot ton on July 25 however. Shortest stigma lengths beyond anthers on July 13 was note d in treatments with highest amounts of calcium applied per acre, while all treatments had numerically fewer abn ormal f lowers t han the untreated check on July 21. Treatments resulted in slightly taller plants than the untreated check on July 6 and 21, and more no des on Ju ly 6. Most treatments also res ulted in more fruiting nodes per plant on July 21 and August 4. Greatest height:node ratios were noted in CalMax ® treated cotton on all three sample dates. Highest retention percentages were noted in untreated cotton on July 6 and August 4. All treatments resulted in numerically more fruiting structures/plant than the untreated check on July 21, although only CalMax ® treated cotton had significantly more. Most treated cotton had fewer such structures per plant on August 4 than on July 21, however such structures in untreated cotton increased during this time. Calcium Metalosate ® was the only treatment that resulted in more seed cotton/acre than the untreated check. Calculated lint yields varied, and reflected the single datum turnout percentage for each treatment derived from commercial ginning of modules. Wide variation in turnout data do not appear to be supported with differences in cotton quality data, as similar economics were noted for all cotton lint on a per pound basis.

Three insecticides and on e herbicid e (Prism ® ) wer e eval uated efficacy against summer alfalfa i nsects using small plots. Usage of the insecticide Steward ® resulted in excellent control of alfalfa caterpillars and beet armyworms, as well as excellent initial control of Empoasca leafhoppers. Usage of Steward ® also reduced nymphal lygus bug s, b ut also resulted in lowest numbers of bigeye d bu gs. Application of the insecticide Baythroid ® XL was noted to result in excellent control of Empoasca leafhoppers throughout the study, excellent control of palestriped flea beetles early in the study, but also reduced populations of damsel bugs early in the study. Reduction of threecornered alfalfa hoppers was also noted, as was excellent control of alfalfa caterpillars at one and seven days post treatment with this chemistry, although this was not noted at four days after treatment. Data indicate the herbicide treatment (Prism ® + Ha sten ® ) s ignificantly reduc ed damsel bug populations and large lygus bug nymphs for one day post treatment, and resulted in a sligh t num erical decre ase in beet armyworms and p alestriped flea beetles. Clover leafhopper numbers where higher at seven days post treatment in alfalfa receiving this t reatment than the untreated check . Appl ication of Trilogy ® , expected to be a slow acting treatment, did result in some slight initial reductions (25%) of palest riped flea beetles, threecornered alfalfa hoppers and beet armyworms, but these reductions were not apparent at four days post treatment. Usage of Trilogy ® resulted in highest Empoasca leafhopper populations at seven days post treatment, although the reason for this observation is unknown.

Eight varieties were evaluated under field conditions for resultant plant populations after field infection with Rhizoctonia solani. Highest plant populations were noted in Delta and PineLand 454BR, followed by three other Delta and PineLand (DPL) varieties. Stoneville and Phytogen cotton varieties had reduced plant stands compared to DPL varieties at approximately 30 days after planting. DPL 454BR, which had the highest plant population, also had earlier growth and establishment than other varieties which is thought to have helped plant survival. Although all seed was treated with multiple fungicides, seed of DPL varieties was treated with several fungicide active ingredients (thiram, tridimenol) not present on seed from other varieties. Comparative increased stand on DPL varieties may be in part due to plant genetics as well as fungicide. Stand loss was noted in all varieties however. Data indicate that in-furrow application of fungicides or applications to small cotton plants may be necessary for heavier soils under cool and moist early season growing conditions in the low desert.

Three plant growth enhancement treatments were applied to April-planted DPL 555BR cotton on the morning of July 2, 2005. Plant parameter data were obtained during July, and yield and quality data were obtained at harvest in December. Usage of Chaperone resulted in decreased potassium and phosphorus levels in petioles, as well as increased amounts of leaf chlorophyll. Treatments initially resulted in less fruiting structure/plant but had more than the untreated cotton at 26 days post treatment, with highest numbers per plant noted from the HappyGroTM + PhotoGro treatment. Each treatment resulted in less seed cotton and lint per acre than the untreated cotton. Less spotting associated with treated cotton increased the lint strength and increased trash levels. The AuxiGro WP + CalMax + Foliar Pride treatment resulted in the highest fiber strength per pound and lint value.

A rapid heat increase from the high 80s-low 90s to high temperatures of 110 F on May 21 and 22, 2005, was recorded in the Blythe, CA, area, resulting in abnormal cotton flowers in mid-June, being especially characterized by elongated styles and stigmas being beyond the anthers. Two different cotton variety trials conducted in the Palo Verde Valley allowed data to be collected semi-weekly beginning June 17-20, with 100+ flowers per plot examined in each plot (four replications) of each of the 14 cotton variety entries. Every cotton variety had an average of 90+% of flowers expressing heat stress abnormalities (elongated styles) at the beginning of data collection even though the trials varied by planting date and location. Abnormal flowers were noted for several weeks, with some stigmas 21 mm beyond the anthers. Varieties differed in their responses to heat stress as measured by elongation later in the summer. Limited data were also collected for fruit retention and correlated with length of stigma extension beyond anthers. Retention percentages decreased as distance between anthers/stigmas increased, however boll size increased with less retention, possibly through nutrient partitioning. Various foliar fertilizers containing calcium were also evaluated for their effect on stigma elongations of DPL 449BR cotton. Significant differences existed for stigma elongations, with 2.5 qts./acre of CalMax resulting in statistical reduction of elongation when compared with the untreated check at 3 weeks after application. Statistical differences did not exist at four weeks although statistical differences did exist at this date for the percentage of flowers affected, with the highest percentage (81.7%) noted in untreated cotton.