Evaluation of Stalk Shredders and Cutters for Pink Bollworm Control

Experiments were conducted during the period 1951–57 to evaluate the effectiveness of several cotton stalk shredders in killing potential overwintering larvae of the pink bollworm ( Pectinophora gossypiella (Saund.)) in crop residues after harvest. Most of the shredders then commercially available were tested on green cotton stalks in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. In seven experiments, the reductions in adult emergence resulting from the shredding operation averaged 70% for vertical-flail shredders, compared with 54% for horizontal blade models. A roller cutter was almost entirely ineffective. In another experiment, shredding with several adaptations or a vertical-flail model resulted in reductions of 94% to 98%.