Full mechanization of cotton could save 70% of labor costs in the future

In recent years, the Cotton Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, together with the Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, has intensified research and development of full mechanization in the cotton regions of the Yellow River Basin and the Yangtze River Basin, achieving the integration of agronomy and agricultural machinery. The whole process has basically achieved mechanization, which can save about 70% of the labor cost of cotton planting.

Cotton is one of China's important cash crops, and it is also a labor-intensive crop.

Cotton is one of China's important cash crops, and it is also a labor-intensive crop. At present, the declining comparative benefit of cotton planting and the high cost of labor input are bottleneck factors restricting the development of China's cotton industry. Promoting mechanized cotton planting has become the fundamental way out for cotton development, and only in this way can the sustainable development of China's cotton production be ensured.

In recent years, with the support of major national science and technology programs such as the National Cotton Industry Technology System and special scientific research projects for industries, and driven by the academy's scientific and technological innovation project, the Cotton Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, together with the Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, has intensified research and development of full mechanization in the cotton regions of the Yellow River Basin and the Yangtze River Basin, achieving the integration of agronomy and agricultural machinery. According to the characteristics of machine-picked cotton, new cotton varieties suitable for machine picking have been developed with features such as concentrated boll opening, a high height of the first fruiting branch, and outstanding high and stable yield, laying the foundation for promoting mechanized cotton harvesting. The use of biodegradable plastic film mulch has reduced plastic film pollution in farmland and eased the high-intensity field operation of removing film for cotton farmers; mechanized harvesting is adopted during the harvest period. The whole process has basically achieved mechanization, saving about 70% of the labor cost of cotton planting.