NEW LEAFLESS cotton defoliant from Uniroyal Chemical has recently been approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency and will be available to cotton producers in 2001.

The new, stand-alone defoliant offers superior, yet economical defoliation of both mature and immature leaves, with outstanding re-growth control and boll opening characteristics, according to Ron Ames, technical manager, plant growth regulators for Uniroyal Chemical.

“We developed Leafless specifically for the hot summer and warm, early fall defoliation conditions of south and central Texas, Louisiana and the southern Delta and where re-growth inhibition is important,” says David Cote, vice president of plant growth regulants and herbicides for Uniroyal Chemical. “These areas are challenging because of harsh defoliation conditions; but, more importantly, low cost performance is paramount. Leafless will be price-competitive, whether it's used as a stand-alone product or in a tank-mix.”

Data generated in field trials in the fall of 2000 consistently showed Leafless at the top among all treatments in defoliation, boll opening, re-growth inhibition and overall performance. “We're excited about this product because it has performed so well in Uniroyal Chemical, university and Cotton Defoliation Work Group trials the past three years,” says Ames. “It provides the cotton producer with a cost-effective alternative that was specially formulated for warm to hot defoliation conditions requiring a high level of re-growth inhibition. Our data also shows that Leafless is second only to ethephon in its boll opening characteristics.”

Uniroyal Chemical is a leading worldwide manufacturer of agricultural and specialty chemicals and polymers, serving customers in 120 countries. The company's products are used in many markets, including agriculture, rubber processing, plastic, paints and coatings, petroleum and construction.