ABSTRACT

Byproducts produced from cotton gins are commonly seen as a financial liability affecting the bottom line to the producer. The COBY process was developed with the intention of adding value to these byproducts in an effort to change the liability into a source of revenue for cotton gins and producers alike. The COBY process is designed to produce various end use products from the same raw material. One of these products is mulch. The purpose of this research was to evaluate various application rates of COBY in suppressing weeds and to determine if the product had any adverse affects on plant growth and flower quality. Studies were conducted at two different locations to evaluate and compare the COBY product in use as a dry-applied mulch for flowering plants. Ten separate treatments were evaluated for a period of six weeks. The results showed that, after six weeks, the application rates of 400 and 600 lbs per 1000ft² successfully suppressed weeds without adversely affecting flower quality.