Cotton varieties are being introduced at an unprecedented rate. Although varieties are being introduced quicker than ever before, the lifespan of a given variety is shorter than ever before as well. In addition, historically varieties have been tested for two to three years in the public sector prior to release. Currently varieties are generally tested for one year prior to release. Given the short lifespan of a variety combined with a rapid release, variety performance and management data are more critical now than ever before. To that end, an experiment was conducted at several locations across the Cotton Belt to evaluate the impact of irrigation and plant growth regulator application on cotton growth, development, and yield.
