2011 Annual Report
1a.Objectives (from AD-416)
Use data gathered during harvest to develop and improve crop management tools.
1b.Approach (from AD-416)
Test plots located on the Texas High Plains will be planted with multiple cotton varieties and grown under irrigated and non-irrigated conditions. Remote sensing of the plots at various stages of growth will be performed to evaluate the status of the plants. The plots will be harvested with a machine equipped with a yield monitor. The yield data will be correlated with the remote sensing data to develop yield prediction algorithms.
Yield stability under varying stress levels affected through soil type variation, irrigation application uniformity, and insect/weed pressure variability is an important factor considered by cotton farmers when selecting cultivars. This work applies methods developed through research for evaluating crop fertility and yield status via remote sensing technology to production level variety evaluation tests. Approximately 25 cotton cultivars were harvested from the center pivot irrigated plots using a spindle picker equipped with a yield monitor. Yield maps were combined with aerial image data collected at various stages of crop development, and relationships were developed for predicting cotton yield and yield variation. Results show a cultivar-dependent response to stress levels with regard to yield and yield stability. The ability to select varieties with high yield stability levels will help producers to better manage crop stress, improve yields, and profitability. Additional studies are planned for the 2011 harvest season.
The ADODR monitored activities via email and phone calls at least once every quarter and weekly during the months of October through December.