Mepiquat Chloride Effects on Irrigated Cotton in Arizona

Abstract

A series of experiments have been conducted from 1988 to 1999 at various locations across the cotton producing regions of Arizona to evaluate mepiquat chloride (MC) applications in terms of plant growth and yield. These experiments were designed to evaluate MC under three application regimes. These regimes included low rate multiple applications, late season applications, and a feedback vs. scheduled management of MC and nitrogen (N) applications. The objective of this summary (including a total of 31 site-years) is to determine which of these three application regimes offer the greatest opportunity for a positive lint yield response to MC. Stability analysis was conducted by regressing the treatment mean lint yield against the environmental mean for each application regime. Results from the stability analyses revealed that the most viable method of application is a feedback approach for both MC and fertilizer N. The most reliable technique associated with plant assessment in a feedback approach was the height to node ratio (HNR) to indicate vegetative tendencies for determining the appropriate rate and timing of MC applications.