Impact of Cotton Defoliation On Cotton Yield, Quality, and Profitability

Impact of Cotton Defoliation on Cotton Yield, Quality, and Profitability

Gaylon D. Morgan, Zachary Eder, Dale Mott, and John R. C. Robinson

Harvest-aid applications are a standard pre-harvest management practice in South Texas to optimize harvest efficiency.   Harvest-aids are also generally believed to improve cotton lint quality while maximizing harvestable yield.  However, research conducted in the Southeastern and Delta regions in the mid-1990's indicated no consistent yield or quality difference from the untreated control.   Since the mid-1990's, cotton yields have increased and defoliation treatment prices have decreased.  The objective of this project is to evaluate the impact of cotton harvest-aids on cotton lint yield, quality, and net return for the various defoliation treatments.  If a difference is observed, a threshold recommendation may be identified to determine the level of defoliation that optimizes net return to the producer.  Multiple defoliation trials were initiated in 2010, 2011, and 2012 in the Upper Gulf Coast of Texas and the Southern Blacklands of Texas.  The defoliation treatments were chosen to give a wide range of defoliation levels, including single and sequential applications.  Plots were harvested with a spindle picker and yields were determined following ginning.  HVI analysis was conducted on subsamples from each plot.  Net return will be estimated for each of the various defoliation levels.  Results will be presented at the meeting.