Chemical weed control experiments with cotton

It is generally agreed that weed control is the phase of cotton production that has been least satisfactorily mechanized. Therefore, it would be highly desirable to find a chemical and a method of application that is economical and effective in controlling weeds in cotton to the extent that hand chopping will not be necessary. This is becoming more important as farm labor is being utilized by industry in war production. An excellent opportunity to search for this information was made available through the Weed Control Project of the University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment station. During the 1949 season four preliminary experiments were conducted, two at the U. S. Cotton Field Station at Knoxville and two at the West Tennessee Experiment Station at Jackson, using four of the more promising chemicals. The most effective chemical of the four tested was used in more detailed experiments at the same locations in 1950.

A brief report of the 1949 preliminary tests will be given as a basis for the 1950 experiments. Observational notes and yield data from the two experiments conducted in 1950 will be given in detail.