Picker versus Stripper Harvesters on the High Plains of Texas

Picker and stripper harvest systems were evaluated on production-scale irrigated cotton on the High Plains of Texas over three harvest seasons.  Observations on harvester performance and fiber quality were used to conduct a net present value (NPV) analysis to compare economic returns for conventional six-row picker- and stripper-based harvest systems.  For most yield scenarios on the High Plains, there is a greater potential for profit by stripping fields when one six-row picker and accompanying support equipment is compared to one eight-row stripper and accompanying support equipment.  However, when comparing one six-row picker to two eight-row strippers, picker harvesting offered more potential for profit in all scenarios analyzed.  The NPV models were most sensitive to changes in the price difference and harvest efficiency between harvesters.