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Cotton Harvest Aid Considerations for Small Grains

Small grain crops are commonly planted shortly prior to or immediately following cotton harvest in many areas of Oklahoma. Due to the various options for cotton harvest aid products, and their corresponding label restrictions regarding rotation to winter crops, producers wishing to follow cotton with a small grain should pay careful attention to the limitations their harvest aid selection may place on the success of their small grain.

 

The utilization of the small grain, whether intended as a cover crop, for grazing or forage and/or food use, may impact the cotton harvest aid use rate or plant back restriction to specific types of small grains. The best management option is to determine the end use of the small grain prior to selecting harvest aid products, as some products will eliminate some end use options for the small grain.
Table 1 provides a brief overview of major considerations regarding small grains associated with various common cotton harvest aid products. For additional information, please refer to the product label or contact your local county Extension office.

 

Table 1. Considerations and restrictions for harvest aid products in cotton intercropped or in rotation with small grains. 

  Cotton harvest aid product Use considerations/restrictions Plant back interval
  Aim (Carfentrazone-ethyl) Cotton: up to 1.6 oz per acre in a single application and max in-season rate of 3.2 oz per acre allowed as harvest aid
Winter wheat: 0.5 to 1 oz per acre prior to boot
Other small grains: 0.5 to 1 oz per acre prior to jointing
Small grains: 1 day
  ETX (Pyraflufen-ethyl) Cotton: up to 1.7 oz per acre in a single application and max in season rate of 3.4 oz per acre allowed as harvest aid
Wheat or triticale: up to 1.25 oz per acre prior to emergence; up to 0.6 oz per acre prior to flag leaf
Wheat or triticale: 0 days
Other cereals: 1 day
  Sharpen (Saflufenacil) Cotton: up to 1 oz recommended as a single application and max in season rate of 2 oz per acre allowed as harvest aid
Small grains: 1.0 to 2.0 oz per acre preplant or preemergence
Small grains: 0 days (up to 4 oz)
  Ethephon (including 6 lb./gallon, 3 lb./gallon and ethephon + cyclanilide products; Super Boll, Boll'd, Boll Buster, Ethephon 6, Flash, Finish 6 Pro, etc.) If small grains are planted earlier than 30 days after application, or intercropped with cotton, the small grain may only be used for cover and cannot be harvested for food or feed. Applies to all labeled use rates Small grains: 30 days
  Thidiazuron + Diuron
(including Ginstar, Cutout, Adios, Redi-Pik, etc.)
If intercropped with cotton the small grain may only be used for cover and cannot be harvested for food or feed.
Applies to all labeled use rates
Small grains: 1 month
  Folex (Tribufos) Do not graze treated fields; do not use on crops harvested for food or forage. Applies to all labeled use rates Small grains: 0 days
  Paraquat (including 2 lb. a.i./gallon
Gramoxone and 3 lb. a.i./gallon
Parazone, Firestorm, etc.)
Cotton: maximum 2 pints of 2 lb. a.i. per gallon or 21 oz of 3 lb. a.i. per gallon may be used as a cotton harvest aid
Barley or wheat: 2 to 4 pints (2 lb. a.i./gallon) or 1.3 to 2.7 pints (3 lb. a.i./gallon) at preplant or preemergence
Small grains: 0 days


Seth Byrd
Extension Cotton Specialist

 

Misha Manuchehri
Extension Weed Scientist

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