Basic practices boost cotton.

The article presents information on various practices to increase in cotton production in the U.S. David Hardy, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services section chief for soil testing said that farmers should focus on soil pH and liming, phosphorous, potassium, nitrogen and sulfur in the context of a budget. Soil pH is especially critical in cotton production because cotton does not tolerate acidity well. In 2004, where growth problems occurred with cotton on Coastal Plain soils, almost 70 percent of the samples had pH levels below the target pH of 6.2.