Alternative crop acres are expected to be up amid mixed market conditions, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert. Calvin Trostle, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist, Lubbock, said COVID-19 has not affected the market for alternative crops like sunflowers, sesame and guar. These crops are typically grown on rotation schedules for fields where cotton, or row crops like corn and sorghum are grown. Sunflowers Trostle expects around 60,000 acres of sunflowers to be planted this season, up from 40,000 acres last year. He expects an additional 7,000 acres of sunflowers to be planted in the Rio Grande Valley to meet contract demand ...