Using Yield Monitors to Evaluate Cotton Variety Tests

Grain yield monitors have successfully been used to harvest variety and hybrid trials when certain guidelines were followed. However, there has been concern regarding cotton yield monitors and the way that they measure flow rate. A Beltwide effort was initiated to assess yield monitor performance in replicated variety trials with the objective of determining the source of yield monitor errors and developing protocols for using yield monitors to accurately harvest cotton variety trials. Data were collected from at least seven trials across six states. The trials were conducted with field scale plots containing at least six varieties. Yield was measured with the yield monitor and a reference scale. The reference scale varied among locations, but was an accepted device to measure variety yield. Other items were measured on each plot to assess potential sources of error between the yield monitor and reference scale. These included lint turnout, moisture content, and average boll mass.