Joe Mari Maja, Jyoti Neupane, Van Patiluna, Gilbert Miller, Aashish Karki, Michael W. Marshall, Matthew Cutulle, Jun Luo, Edward Barnes
The optimization of cotton defoliant application is critical for enhancing fiber quality and yield. This study aims to assess the impact of different defoliant duty cycles on cotton fiber quality by applying Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to High-Volume Instrument (HVI) data from two fields. Three duty cycles—20%, 40%, and 60%—along with a control treatment were evaluated. PCA was used to identify the key factors influencing cotton quality, with a focus on parameters such as fiber length, strength, and uniformity. The results revealed that the 40% duty cycle consistently produced the most stable and uniform cotton fiber quality across both fields, minimizing variability in critical parameters. In contrast, the 20% and 60% duty cycles, as well as the control, introduced greater variability, with the control treatment showing the most significant outliers. These findings suggest that a 40% duty cycle is optimal for balancing effective defoliation with high-quality cotton production. Future research should explore the robustness of the 40% duty cycle across different environmental conditions and investigate the integration of advanced technologies to further optimize defoliant applications. This study provides valuable insights for improving cotton production practices and ensuring consistent fiber quality. © 2024 by the authors.
Center of Applied Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Agriculture, 1890 Research and Extension, South Carolina State University, 300 College Ave., Orangeburg, 29117, SC, United States; Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Miller Plant Sciences, 120 Carlton Street, Athens, 30602, GA, United States; Department of Computer Engineering, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, 6000, Philippines; Edisto Research and Education Center, Clemson University, 64 Research Road, Blackville, 29817, SC, United States; Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, 171 Poole Agricultural Center, Clemson, 29634, SC, United States; School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Clemson University, Martin O-15, Clemson, 29634, SC, United States; Cotton Incorporated, 6399 Weston Parkway, Cary, 27513, NC, United States
