Current research and development in cotton harvesters: A review with application to Indian cotton production systems

High-quality cotton fiber begins with variety selection, continues with adherence to all production methods, and concludes with a well-planned and executed harvest. A potential strategy for harvesting cotton in developing nations is cotton harvesters. Even though there have been significant improvements in recent years, there are still difficulties with its implementation in developing countries. Cotton picking is entirely mechanical in developed nations. Mechanization in the agriculture business has intensified in emerging nations such as India due to rising labor prices and shortages. This review provides an overview of cotton harvesting technologies. Recent work on robotics in cotton-picking operations is discussed. The present study thoroughly discusses hand-held, self-propelled, tractor-mounted cotton harvester development and evaluation. Information in this review will fill a gap in cotton harvesting operation mechanization and may contribute to enhancing cotton-picking operation mechanization and improving picking/harvesting intelligence research.