ABSTRACT
The negative perception some consumers hold regarding
agricultural chemicals has resulted in an increased demand
for organic foods and fibers, and in increasing political
pressure for the regulation of agricultural production prac-
tices. This has revived interest in thermal defoliation of
cotton and has resulted in prototype and commercial
machines that improve on concepts first developed half a
century ago. The present hot air devices resulted in defo-
liation rates approaching 80%, and up to 100% desicca-
tion. They prepared cotton for harvest independent of
weather, complied with organic production rules, elimi-
nated insects responsible for cotton stickiness, facilitated
early picking, and extended the harvest window by two to
three weeks.
