Researchers Develop Novel Cotton Quality Module to Help Farmers

Mississippi State scientists have developed a cotton quality module, which enables farmers to check the quality of their crops under fluctuating environmental conditions. The new module will be added into the GOSSYM program.

The quality of cotton affects the income of farmers. To boost the crop's quality, it must receive the optimum amount of water and nutrients that are necessary for its growth. These factors are dependent on the planting date for a particular location and cultivar.

Researchers produced a cotton quality module that integrates with GOSSYM, a computer program that replicates the processes influencing the growth and yield of cotton. GOSSYM was produced in the 1980s, but new prediction modules are regularly added to boost the accuracy and application of the program. "While cotton is going through growth cycles, the cotton fiber quality will be affected by environmental conditions like temperature, rainfall, and the nutrient quality of the soil and plant. All of these are included in the cotton quality module," said Kambham Raja Reddy, one of the main authors of the study.

The team has successfully tested the module on 40 commonly grown cotton varieties, which makes it a powerful tool for farmers. The module may also help crops become resilient to climate change.

For more information, read the article in Field Crops Research.