The Impact of Mechanization on Cotton Production

Cotton production is changing under the steadily increasing pressures of mechanization. Research is being called upon to develop the tools and methods of mechanization to make production more efficient. Ail fields of research on cotton are affected, including plant breeding, land arrangement and soil care, crop residue disposal, seedbed preparation, planting, fertilization, weed and grass control, insect control, disease control, defoliation, harvesting, farm machinery development, and ginning methods. This report deals with the impact of mechanization on cotton production practices and what research is doing to make the mechanized operation more efficient. It points out the complicated and interrelated problems confronting research scientists and the need for a team approach in finding practical solutions that will help to improve the competitive position of cotton in domestic and world markets.