Photographs & dataset by Graham Charles
Finding herbicide damage in a cotton crop has been an unfortunate experience for far too many cotton growers over the years. Damage may be from herbicide residues in the soil from a herbicide applied to a previous crop, from residues in contaminated spraying equipment, from accidental application of an inappropriate herbicide, or from aerial drift from herbicide applied to a different crop. The source of the damage is not a consideration of this guide, as in most cases the damage to the crop is the same, regardless of the source.
Damage will always have some impact on the crop, but the nature of the impact is influenced by crop growth stage at the time of exposure, the type of herbicide (damage could be from any of a wide range of different herbicides), the intensity of exposure (amount of the herbicide impacting the crop), the crop potential, and the seasonal conditions at and following exposure.
At best, crop damage may delay crop maturity and in favourable conditions may result in no crop yield loss. At worst, the crop may never recover from the damage.
The intent of this guide is to give cotton growers information relating the impact of known concentrations of a herbicide on crop growth, exposed at a given crop growth stage, on crop growth and development and final yield. While every crop and every season is different, this information should provide some guidance as to the likely impact of herbicide exposure to a cotton crop.
The Herbicide Damage Guide is a work in progress and initially only covers a limited range of herbicides and exposure rates. This data base will be expanded over time. I
Information can be sourced directly where the nature of the herbicide exposure is known via the Herbicide Damage Information, or indirectly using the Herbicide Damage Images to identify the likely herbicide or herbicides that caused the damage.
