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Northeast Louisiana | I'm assuming this is non-irrigated cotton? Personally, I wouldn't push the nitrogen, which will make it try to keep growing since it's a perennial. You'd like it to start running low on nitrogen as the bolls you want to harvest mature. That will help shut it down.
I think there's some misunderstanding on what mepiquat chloride (Pix) does, it doesn't "shut down" the plant, it shortens internodes . It won't cause the cotton to stop setting fruit or growing nodes. But, I would be using Pix right now to keep the plants compact so you can better manage the crop. Control the insects very aggressively, as you don't need to lose any lower first position fruit. Big bolls are the best growth regulator you can get on cotton, because they divert photosynthates from vegetative growth into the production of seed and fiber.
After that, you might want to look at multiple shots of ethephon (Prep) and other dessicants or defoliants to start maturing the bolls and getting the plant shut down.
Good luck, with all the heat we've had, you ought to get plenty of degree days to get that crop matured. | |
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Late cotton, how to make it cut out and not waste energy on bolls that won't make it
