Current research and development in cotton harvesters: A review with application to Indian cotton production systems

High-quality cotton fiber begins with variety selection, continues with adherence to all production methods, and concludes with a well-planned and executed harvest. A potential strategy for harvesting cotton in developing nations is cotton harvesters. Even though there have been significant improvements in recent years, there are still difficulties with its implementation in developing countries. Cotton picking is entirely mechanical in developed nations. Mechanization in the agriculture business has intensified in emerging nations such as India due to rising labor prices and shortages. This review provides an overview of cotton harvesting technologies. Recent work on robotics in cotton-picking operations is discussed. The present study thoroughly discusses hand-held, self-propelled, tractor-mounted cotton harvester development and evaluation. Information in this review will fill a gap in cotton harvesting operation mechanization and may contribute to enhancing cotton-picking operation mechanization and improving picking/harvesting intelligence research.

A new method of gall mite management: application of artificial defoliation to control Aceria pallida

Artificial defoliant is widely applied to cotton to facilitate mechanical harvesting and successfully controls leaf diseases by blocking pathogen epidemical cycles; however, this technique is rarely used to control herbivores. Because many eriophyoid mites live and reproduce in galls, the control of these mites by pesticides is usually limited. However, the abscission of galled foliage is lethal to tiny mites with low mobility. Therefore, artificial defoliation should be effective in controlling gall mites. Here, the effects of defoliant on the control of the goji berry Lycium barbarum L. gall mite Aceria pallida Keifer were compared with those of pesticides under field conditions over 3 years. Our results showed that artificial defoliation enabled almost complete defoliation and timely refoliation. A. pallida galls fell off with the defoliation, and then regenerated foliage escaped from mite attack. After defoliant application, the densities of mite galls decreased by 84.1%, 80.3% and 80.3% compared with those found in the pesticide (undefoliated) treatment in 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively. Artificial defoliation achieved much better control of gall mites than pesticides.