ABSTRACT
Mepiquat chloride (MC) which is commonly applied to cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) to control vegetative growth is thought to cause a shift in the partitioning of photoassimilates from vegetative to reproductive growth. Redistribution of assimilates between vegetative and reproductive growth may be one means by which yields can be increased. While MC has been shown to consistently reduce internode length and plant height, reduction in the total number of nodes has also been often observed, along with inconsistent yield responses. Pix® Plus combines MC with Bacillus cereus (BC), a bacterium that purportedly enhances plant growth. This combination of products allows for the control of excessive vegetative growth while potentially promoting reproductive growth. An experiment was conducted to determine if additional applications of BC changed the effectiveness of Pix® Plus. All treatments received 8 oz/A Pix® Plus at MHS and EB, while three treatments received a 1 oz/A application of BC at PHS, EB, or EB + 3 weeks. An additional treatment received 1 oz/A BC at all three timings. Pix® Plus treatments showed typical trends of MC applications, where height and node production was reduced compared to the UTC. Moreover, all treatments receiving Pix® Plus tended to have a lower vegetative to reproductive ratio than the UTC at EB. The impact of these characteristics on yield, boll distribution patterns, boll weights, and lint quality will be addressed.
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