Whenever water increases, the amount of air decreases. In a drought, the opposite occurs. Time and dry weather are the best cure for current conditions. There's not anything a farmer can add to the soil to overcome the effects of these heavy rains. Dr. Will McCarty, extension cotton specialist at MSU, said farmers need to drain standing water as soon as possible.
Saturated conditions make the plants more susceptible to future diseases, insects and droughts.
Many fields lack uniform stands. The cotton specialist recommended cultivating fields as soon as possible to help get oxygen into the soil. Avoid cultivating too deep or too close to the plants, which could cause root damage. Apply herbicides only if the situation is critical. Dr. Erick Larson, extension corn specialist, said most Mississippi corn is at a size that can endure some standing water without affecting the quality.