Nozzle Type and Carrier Volume Influence on Defoliation

Among the many considerations associated with the proposed labels for new herbicide technologies in cotton are restrictions regarding nozzles that are approved for the application of these new auxin herbicide formulations.  The approved nozzles that have been proposed produce very - ultra course droplets to aid in mitigating off target movement of the herbicides.  If producers choose to adopt this system, these nozzles may be used for other applications associated with the management of cotton, which could impact the effectiveness of certain practices, namely defoliation.  This study evaluated three nozzle types that produce various droplet sizes and four carrier volumes to determine if defoliation efficacy and fiber quality was impacted by these characteristics.  This evaluation was conducted at six locations across the Cotton Belt to also determine differences and similarities across multiple environments.