Association of Mechanical and Chemical Methods for Cotton Stalk Destruction

ABSTRACT: The destruction of cotton stalks after harvesting is a prophylactic measure aimed at reducing the population of insects and disease inoculants that may remain in the crop residues and remaining cotton plants. The objective of this work was to evaluate integrated methods of management of the cotton stalks, combining mechanical and chemical control, to promote the eradication of cotton stalks. A 7x5 factorial experiment was installed where seven different methods of mechanical control of cotton stalk and five herbicide treatments were tested. The percentage of control (visual scale of 0 to 100%) and the number of plants regrowth per meter were evaluated at 14, 28 and 50 days after herbicide application treatment. At the end of the experiment, the size of the regrowth was evaluated at 50 days. The methods of management with mowing associated with an application on the stalk followed by another application to plant regrowth’s and mowing with two sequential applications in the sprouts, for the herbicidal treatments 2,4-D + glyphosate in association with [imazapic + imazapyr]) or saflufenacil, promoted the highest control rates of cotton stalks. Aiming at the effectiveness and speed of control, the management with the application of the treatment with 2,4-D + glyphosate + saflufenacil on the stalk, after mowing, associated to another application in the regrowth, provided 100% control at 14 days after the last application and totally inhibited the regrowth of the stalks, and was considered the most effective in the destruction of cotton stalks.