Results from several tests both on the Safford Agricultural Center and off are reported on in this paper. Methano4 Cytokin, X-Cyto, Temik and Amplify-D treatments results are included and discussed.

Six commercial scale field studies were conducted from 1991-1993 to further evaluate and predict Upland cotton yield and development responses to PIX application timing as a function of cotton growth and condition. Treatments imposed intended to further clarify some response trends observed in previous years of field studies. Treatments were all at the maximum label rate of one and one half pints with application timing the main variable. Timing was based on heat unit accumulation and resultant growth stage since date of planting. Two of the six studies resulted in significant lint yield increase of roughly one hundred pounds across all PIX treatments in contrast to the untreated check. The two studies which resulted in lint yield increases both had height: node ratio measurements in excess (vegetative) of previously defined guidelines.

The commercial product PGRIV was tested in small plots on cotton at the Maricopa Agricultural Center. Multiple foliar applications of PGRIV had no significant effect on lint yield or fiber properties of DP5415 or Pima S-7 cotton.

Methanol, Cytokin and PGR IV plant growth regulators were tested on long and short staple cotton on the Safford Agricultural Center in 1994. It was a follow up study on Methanol and Cytokin and a first time look at PGR IV.

A field trial was conducted during the 1992 & 1993 growing seasons to evaluate the activity of Cytokin and Pic applied alone or in combination to short staple cotton. The Cytokin treatment significantly increased tint yield over the other treatments in 1992. There were no statistically significant seed cotton differences between the non - treated check and any treatment in 1993. Fruit retention remained high throughout 1992 and very high throughout the 1993 season. Under high fruiting conditions, use of a plant growth regulator would not normally be recommended.

The effects of late -season Palm on the growth characteristics and yield of Upland cotton was examined in this study. Three treatments were imposed late-season (3447 HUAP), 1, a check plot, receiving no Pix™, 2 receiving 0.75 pt/acre, and 3; receiving 1 pt/acre. The imposed treatments did not have a statistically significant effect on plant growth characteristics or earliness nor were there any significant overall yield differences detected among treatments.

A field experiment was conducted at the UA Maricopa Agricultural Center (MAC) to determine the fruiting distribution patterns of two commonly grown Upland cultivars, DP 33b and DP 5415, and one American Pima cultivar, Pima S-7. Results indicate that cotton plants (G. hirsutum L. and G. barbadense L.) produce total yield at fruiting branches one through 18, with the majority of yield occurring at fruiting branches one through 12. Among fruiting branches one through 12, the majority of yield is occurring at fruiting positions one and two. These results indicate that the bulk of the yield is produced early in the season and declines as the season progresses

A series of boll measurements were taken at numerous locations across the state in 1997 in an attempt to continue to develop a yield prediction model that began in 1993. Results from 1995 showed the strongest relationship between final open boll counts and yield. Based on these results, data was collected in 1997 from several locations around the state. Boll counts were made just prior to harvest and then correlated to yield. Results showed that a good estimate for lint yield could be obtained using the factor of approximately 13 bolls/row-ft./bale of lint for Upland cotton on 38 to 40 inch row spacings.

Two PIX experiments were conducted on commercial cooperator sites in Waddell and Buckeye, Az in 1997 to evaluate the validity of the published University of Arizona (UA) PIX application guidelines for Bt cotton. Experimental treatments consisted of an untreated check, a calendar based application schedule (early bloom, peak bloom, cutout), and a feedback approach using plant growth measurements based on the UA PIX guidelines (height:node ratio, fruit retention). There were no significant yield differences at the Waddell site where height:node ratios and fruit retention values were above the optimum baseline season long, conditions not supportive of PIX applications. There was a significant yield decline at the Buckeye site between the untreated check and the calendar based treatment. Due to low plant vigor season long , there were no feedback based PIX applications. PIX applications under low vigor conditions can further compromise plant vigor and ultimately yield. The UA PIX application use guidelines are valid and should be used for both Bt and non -transgenic Upland cotton varieties.

Summaries of cotton crop phenology, as a function of heat units (HU, 86/55°F limits) have been developed across a wide range of production conditions in Arizona. Basic phenological events such as the occurrence of pinhead squares, squares susceptible to pink bollworm, and first bloom are described in terms of HU accumulations since planting (HUAP). Fruit retention guidelines and height: node ratios, which measure a crop's vegetative /reproductive balance, are developed as a function of HUAP. Similarly, the rate of canopy closure is described in terms of HUAP. The use of the number of nodes above the top white bloom to the terminal (NAWB) is developed as a measure of a crops progression towards cut-out. Also, the expected ranges of HU's accumulated since planting that are required to accomplish crop cut-out are shown for Upland and Pima cotton.