Late Season Production Management Practices: Crop Preparation for Harvesting

George W. Cathey


 
ABSTRACT

During the production cycle of cotton growth and development the leaves perform the very important function of feeding and maturing the bolls to assure a maximum yield of high quality cotton. Every effort is made to keep them on the plant and in a healthy condition until a majority of the bolls are mature and open. Once this occurs, the leaves are of no more value and it is desirable to have them out of the way when harvest begins. In most cases this can be accomplished by chemically induced defoliation. However, if for some reason defoliation is not feasible then desiccation is the second choice.

Cotton defoliation has been investigated by federal, state, and industry scientists probably more than any other single practice, and it still is not established as an exact science. The practice has been commercially successful for over 40 years, but there are still many failures. The results obtained from defoliant applications are the most unpredictable of all the operations that the grower may perform. There are simply too many variables that influence the effectiveness of all harvest-aid chemicals. These factors may vary from year to year, from area to area, and from farm to farm or from field to field on a particular farm. Most of the unfavorable results are related to either plant or environmental conditions that are not conducive to maximum plant response to the defoliant chemical. Most chemicals suggested for cotton defoliation are effective, provided proper application is made and the weather and plant conditions are conducive to maximum activity.



Reprinted from Proceedings of the 1986 Beltwide Cotton Production Conference pp. 55 - 56
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998