COMPUTER-SIMULATION OF NONSELECTIVE MECHANICAL THINNING

A simulation model of nonselective mechanical thinning of plants with fixed lengths of cut and uncut blocks along a row was developed The Monte Carlo method was used for generating random spacings between plants based on an exponential probability distribution of plant spacings. Predicted plant stand and spacing distributions before and after thinning were found to be in agreement with observed results in cotton, and thus validated the model. Subsequently the relationships were developed for estimating plant population density and uniformity based on the simulated thinning experiments.