Cotton crop under stress due to extreme heat, Willacy County farmer says
Related Story
The excessive heat and lack of rain is spelling trouble for cotton farmers, as the growth of the crop remains at standstill.
“Because you add both factors together, it put the cotton crop under a lot of stress,” farmer Lynn Johnson said.
Farmers like Johnson say they’re now looking to the skies for help.
“We had so much rain in April and May that the cotton got used to that," Johnson said.
Johnson said the weather has been hard on the cotton crop for nearly the last two weeks, even at night.
“The high nighttimes temperatures doesn't let the cotton rest and regroup,” Johnson explained.
The harvest season is coming up at the end of July. Johnson says rain is needed to help his crop finish growing, as it’s already starting to wilt.
Johnson said the crop wilting is the crop's way of saying it doesn't have enough water to keep itself cool.
At least two inches of rain is needed to help the crop pull through.
News
