optimum Time for Harvesting Cotton: A New Concept

ABSTRACT A study was conducted to determine the optimum time to harvest cotton when including all field-opened bolls and bolls that would open under artificial drying conditions. Bolls artificially dried opened 13 to 21 days earlier than bolls of the same age in the field. The cotton harvested 30 to 40 days before all bolls opened in the field yielded the same as that harvested at 100 percent open. It was demonstrated that a stripper type harvester can be used to harvest closed as well as open bolls.