Effects of Mepiquat Regimes on Fiber Length Uniformity

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Effects of Mepiquat Regimes on Fiber Length
Uniformity

• 2007 Beltwide Cotton Conference
• Steve M. Brown and Andy Knowlton
• The University of Georgia

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Fiber LengthUNIFORMITY
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USDA Cotton ClassificationUnderstanding the Data

• Length uniformity index is a three-digit number
  that is a measure of the degree of uniformity of
  the fibers in a sample to the nearest tenth. The
  descriptive terms listed below may be helpful in
  explaining the measurement results.
• Descriptive Designation Length Uniformity
• Very Low lt 76.5 Low 76.5 79.4
  Average 79.5 82.4 High 82.5
  85.4 Very High gt 85.4

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Fiber QualityLength Uniformity
UHM length
Mean length
Mean length
Uniformity
UHM length
reflects SHORT FIBER CONTENT (lt 0.5 inch)
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Fiber QualityLength Uniformity
Mean length
If all fibers are of equal length uniformity
100.0
Mean length
Uniformity
UHM length
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Georgia -- Fiber Length Uniformity

• Late 1990s National Textiles reported problems,
  suggest correlation with UNIF, SFC
• 2003 GA crop creates serious concerns in U.S.
  textile industry
• 2004 EFS Conference Wm Dunnavant addresses
  Georgia problem
• Several U.S. textile choose to discriminate
  against GA cotton

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What is the problem with Georgia Cotton?
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UNIFORMITY1998-2006 SE Crop
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Uniformity Index
2003
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Mid-South and SoutheastUniformity 2005/06
82.0 / 82.4
81.8/ 82.4
81.5 / 82.0
80.7 / 81.2
81.4 / 82.3
81.3 / 81.6
80.2 / 80.4
80.7 / 80.8
80.3 / 80.4
80.2 / 80.2
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REVIEWQuantification of Fiber Quality and the
Cotton Production-Processing Interface A
Physiologists Perspective

• Bradow and Davidonis, Journal of Cotton Science,
  2000. 434-64

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Factors Implicated with Fiber Length and
Uniformity

• Genetics
• Environment temperature, water, light,
  fertility
• Harvesting, ginning, processing
• Disruption of fiber development
• Bug damage, Fertility, Stresses
• Fruiting period / duration?
• Fruiting position in-canopy variation
• Site of initiation on seed
• Day length / longitude?

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UGA Micro-Gin (HVI) 2005Georgia Stink Bug Trials
GA 2005 Untreated Bug-Free
Lint/acre 707 1271
Lint 35.89 37.12
MIC 4.26 4.49
UHM (32nds) 35.72 36.21
UI 81.39 81.86
STR 30.00 29.90
Rd 76.15 78.63
b 8.87 8.03
HVI Cotton Incorporated N8 locations
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Factors Implicated with Fiber Length and
Uniformity

• Genetics
• Environment temperature, water, light,
  fertility
• Harvesting, ginning, processing
• Disruption of fiber development
• Bug damage, Fertility, Stresses
• Fruiting period / duration?
• Fruiting position in-canopy variation
• Site of initiation on seed
• Day length / longitude?

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Fiber variation within CANOPY
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Fiber variation within FRUTING POSITION
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Fiber variation within BOLL / LOCK
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Fiber variation on the SEED
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Sources of Fiber Quality Variation

• Canopy
• Boll/Lock
• Seed

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Can Bloom Duration InfluenceFiber Length
Uniformity?
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2006 Experiments

• OBJECTIVES
• Variety by Mepex
• Mepex Timing
• Can compression of fruiting period affect UNIF?
• Aggressive Stance Application (Two Sites)
• Evaluate possible yield and quality effects of
  misapplication (rate).

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Objective Is it Genetics or Bloom Duration?
Experiment 1

• DP 555 BG/RR
• 1. Aggressive MC
• 16 oz PHS
• 24 oz PHS 10d
• 24 oz PHS 25d
• 2. Aggressive Growth
• 8 oz PHS
• 8 oz 1st bloom

• DP 444 BG/RR
• 3. Aggressive MC
• 16 oz PHS
• 16 oz PHS 10d
• 4. Aggressive Growth
• 8 oz 1st bloom

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Effects of MC TIMING Experiment 2

• Untreated
• 12 oz PHS / PHS10d / PHS20d /
• As needed
• 12 oz PHS10d / PHS20d / PHS30d
• 12 oz 1st BL / 1st BL10d / 1st BL20d
• DP 555 BG/RR

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Effects of Excessive Stance (Rate) Experiment
3a, 3b

• Untreated
• Mepex 8 oz MHS / 10d / 2wks
• Stance 3 oz MHS / 10d / 2wks
• Stance 8 oz MHS / 10d / 2wks
• DP 555 BG/RR
• 3a SunBelt Expo 3b Lang Farm, Tifton

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Experimental Methods

• Irrigated culture 3 sites Tifton, 1 site SunBelt
  Expo
• Planting dates May 3 or 6, 2006
• Plot size 4 or 6 rows by 40 ft
• Treatments applied with self propelled sprayer or
  CO2 backpack sprayer
• Harvest dates Sep 21 or 28, 2006
• Plot harvest processed at UGA Micro Gin
• Fiber samples analyzed by Star Labs

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Experiment 1Variety by MC Program
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Experiment 1Variety by MC Program
Trt Yield lb/A UNIF Length in
DP555 M 1837a 81.63b 1.138a
DP555 G 1778a 81.84b 1.136a
DP444 M 1379b 82.58a 1.125ab
DP444 G 1382b 82.56a 1.118b
LSD (0.10) 192 0.30 0.017
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Experiment 2Initiation of MC
Trt Yield lb/A UNIF Length in
UTC 1851ab 82.05a 1.145b
PHS, , 1814b 81.88a 1.155a
PHS10d, , 1943a 82.04a 1.147b
1st Bl, , 1861ab 82.32a 1.157a
LSD (0.10) 104 0.57 0.007
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Experiment 3a (Expo)Excessive Stance
Trt Yield lb/A UNIF Length in
UTC 1895a 80.32b 1.113c
Mepex 8oz (3x) 1874a 80.88a 1.127b
Stance 3 oz (3x) 2033a 80.94a 1.139b
Stance 8 oz (3x) 1624b 81.16a 1.160a
LSD (0.10) 183 0.43 0.007
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Experiment 3b (Tifton)Excessive Stance
Trt Yield lb/A UNIF Length in
UTC 1768a 82.03c 1.122d
Mepex 8oz (3x) 1790a 82.07bc 1.137c
Stance 3 oz (3x) 1731a 82.28a 1.160b
Stance 8 oz (3x) 1690a 82.73a 1.187a
LSD (0.10) 122 0.23 0.010
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Experiment 3 (Expo and Tifton)Excessive Stance
Trt UNIF Expo UNIF Tifton Length Expo Length Tifton
UTC 80.32b 82.03c 1.113c 1.122d
Mepex 8oz 80.88a 82.07bc 1.127b 1.137c
Stance 3 oz 80.94a 82.28a 1.139b 1.160b
Stance 8 oz 81.16a 82.73a 1.160a 1.187a
LSD (0.10) 0.43 0.23 0.007 0.010
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Summary

• DP 444 BG/RR had slightly greater UNIF than DP
  555 BG/RR
• Varying the initiation of MC programs had no
  effect on UNIF
• Stance increased UNIF and UHM length

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Future Work

• Thorough REVIEW of work related to fiber length
  UNIF (physiology, ginning, geography, pest mgt,
  etc.)
• Explore the effects of genetics vs flowering
  period on UNIF with mechanical means
• Explore the effects of MC and MC cyclanalide on
  fiber quality

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What the U.S. textile mills really want is
cotton that is long as rope, strong as a cable,
thin as baby hair, and cheap as _at_!

• --- Cotton Sage