Winter cover crops’ response to different cotton harvest aids

Abstract With declining of the Ogallala Aquifer in the Central High Plains, cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) has emerged as a low‐water‐demanding alternative to corn ( Zea mays ). However, cotton harvest leaves minimal cover on the soil surface following harvest due to application of harvest aids. Planting cover crops following cotton harvest is not always viable as it often leaves insufficient time for establishing covers due to cold and dry conditions in the region. Seeding cover crops in standing cotton may be a viable option; however, the effect of harvest aids on these covers remains unknown. This study evaluates the response of cover crops winter pea ( Pisum sativum ), triticale ( Triticosecale rimpaui Wittm ), hairy vetch ( Vicia villosa ), black oats ( Avena sativa ), crimson clover ( Trifolium incarnatum ), and rapeseed ( Brassica napus L.) to different cotton harvest aids (DFT‐6EC and AIM). The crops were grown in pots in climate‐controlled chambers and green cover was measured weekly using Canopeo application. The crops were sprayed with harvest aids 42 days after planting. The green cover was reduced in all crops by at least 45% within 2 weeks after spraying for both harvest aids when compared to check pots, with winter pea losing 100% of green cover. The average harvest biomass was reduced by 45% and 52% in pots sprayed with AIM and DFT as compared to check pots, respectively. These results show that cover crops are susceptible to cotton harvest aids and will need adequate time to produce biomass before harvest aid application if interseeded in cotton crops.