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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Cotton Production and Processing Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #340985
Title: Evaluation of modern cotton harvest systems on irrigated cotton: harvester performance

Author
item FAULKNER, W - Texas A&M University
item Wanjura, John
item BOMAN, R - Oklahoma State University
item SHAW, B - Texas A&M University
item PARNELL, C - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: Transactions of the ASABE
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2011
Publication Date: 5/1/2011
Citation: Faulkner, W.B., Wanjura, J.D., Boman, R.K., Shaw, B.W., Parnell, C.B. 2011. Evaluation of modern cotton harvest systems on irrigated cotton: harvester performance. Transactions of the ASABE. 27(4):497-506.

Interpretive Summary: Field efficiency during harvest is critical to producers in producing profitable cotton crops. Comparatively, cotton harvest operations can require over three times the amount of time required to plant. Thus, it is imperative that producers appropriately match harvesting equipment capacities to the needs of their operations. Picker and stripper harvest systems were evaluated on production-scale irrigated cotton on the High Plains of Texas over three harvest seasons. Observations on harvester performance, including time-in-motion, harvest efficiency, seed cotton composition, and turnout were conducted at seven locations with multiple cultivars. In systems where sufficient support equipment was available, strippers had higher productivity (i.e. acres per hour) than pickers. In higher yielding cotton, pickers had a higher productivity rate than strippers. The picker harvester had lower harvest efficiency but also resulted in lower levels of foreign matter and, therefore, higher gin turnout.

Technical Abstract: Picker and stripper harvest systems were evaluated on production-scale irrigated cotton on the High Plains of Texas over three harvest seasons. Observations on harvester performance, including time-in-motion, harvest loss, seed cotton composition, and turnout, were conducted at seven locations with multiple cultivars. In systems where sufficient support equipment was available, strippers had higher productivity (i.e. acres per hour) than pickers. In higher yielding cotton, pickers had a higher productivity rate than strippers. The picker harvest had higher harvest losses but also resulted in lower levels of foreign matter and, therefore, higher turnout. The results of this research have elsewhere been incorporated into an economic model comparing harvest systems under various yield conditions.