Design and Development of an Automated, 4-Row Cotton Plot Picker

A 4-row cotton plot picker was developed for use in picking research plots at Edisto Research and Education Center. Weights are collected independently for each of four rows harvested and cotton is then ejected into the main picker basket. Pneumatically operated 6 inch valves cycle air through the picking heads or to exhaust, allowing for more accurate basket weights. The entire system is automated using software developed for a Microsoft Windows operating system.