Harvest-aid chemicals and practices for cotton

Abstract

Harvest-aid chemicals are used on more than three-quarters of the cotton acreage in the United States. They are considered to be a necessity if cotton is stripper-harvested before frost and to be advantageous if high-quality fibre is spindle-picked from rank, heavily fruited plants with a lot of green leaf. Economic benefits do not always follow their use, however; the degree of success depends largely on relationships between chemicals, techniques, plant conditions and climate.