Ashburn, GA, (very close to Heaven!) | Cotton is perenial plant that has been bred to be and is managed as an annual crop. It has a tendency to remain vegetative and not be reproductive. Mepiquat Chloride, or Pix brand name products, are designed to tighten internode spacing to keep more energy devoted to flower - fruit - seed - fiber production. Cloudy weather, heavy rains, insect pressure, too much nitrogen, etc., and all work together to make the plant remain too vegetative to retain fruit; it will literally throw off young "squares" (immature flower buds) and young bolls at flowering. On the other hand, too much mepiquat will shut down a plant too soon. It's a large part of my consulting program over the summer, keeping the plants progressing on a desired schedule, keeping them slowed down, while maintaining enough stalk to keep it producing enough fruiting nodes for yield goals.<br />
Edited by Carl In Georgia 8/3/2007 12:12
|
Cotton Progress
