This project aims to improve management strategies by using new sensor technologies that automate the measurement of certain crop parameters, thereby improving production efficiency, maximising fibre maturity, length and consistency, minimising trash and entanglements, and in turn help growers to avoid discounts and improve profit margins. An additional activity is to initiate development of methods to mitigate situations where ginned cotton is likely to be devalued because of either poor colour, leaf content and moisture or a combination of them. The aim is to develop and apply a colour and leaf grade sensor built into the picker to gauge the classing grade at harvest, prior to ginning. This work identifies if early spray treatments can reduce the amount of defoliant required and if doing so has any impact upon crop quality.