BOLL SAMPLES GRAB SAMPLES AND COMMERCIALLY GINNED BALES: A TEXAS HIGHPLAINS COMPARISON

摘要

With the advent of transgenic technologies and highly varying cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fiber quality, unbiased cultivar performance data are becoming more important for producers. The challenge exists to provide high quality data for producers while minimizing the efforts required to achieve the goal. Small-plot data are deemed very important for screening large numbers of cultivars and strains. To provide data on economic performance of cultivars/technologies, larger plot sizes are required. During 2000, 2001, and 2002, large-plot replicated systems cultivar trials were conducted at three producer-cooperator locations in the Texas High Plains (Crosby, Parmer, and Yoakum counties). These trials were commercially planted, harvested and ginned.Three replications of 13 to 15 cultivars per location were used (typically greater than 3 acres total per cultivar). Crust Buster boll buggy weigh wagons equipped with Weigh Tronix Model 915 3-bar integral electronic digital scales were used to capture plot weights before moduling. All replications were combined to generate one module per cultivar. These modules were ginned at local gins. Prior to ginning, module feeders were cleaned out, the gin stream cleared, and seed rolls dumped. Remnant bales wereejected from the press, tied, and weighed. After ginning the module, the process was restarted for each cultivar module. High Plains gins equipped for handling stripper-harvested bur cotton typically use the following machinery in sequence: incline cleaner, bur and stick machine, tower dryers, second incline cleaner, small bur and stick machine, gin stand feeder/cleaner, gin stand, and finally two lint cleaners. Depending upon bur cotton condition, some components may be bypassed (stick machine, dryers, and/or lint cleaner). Commercial lint and seed turnouts for each cultivar module were obtained. The lint and seed per acre were determined after applying commercial turnouts to plot bur cotton yields. The USDA-AMS classing and subsequent CCC Loan values were determined for each bale within the cultivar module.