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Nitrogen Management in Ultra-Narrow Row Cotton

Mark L. McFarland, Robert G. Lemon, D. Joel Pigg,Franklin J. Mazac, Jr., Archie Abrameit, Frank M. Hons and Thomas J. Gerik


 
ABSTRACT

Effective nitrogen management is more important for cotton than for most other major field crops; however, little information is available regarding the effects of narrow row spacing on cotton N requirements. A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of four nitrogen rates (0, 50, 100, 150 lbs N per acre) and two row spacings (19 and 39 inches) on cotton growth and production. Both row spacing and N rate significantly affected plant height. From peak bloom through maturity, plants in 19-inch rows were significantly shorter compared to those in 38-inch rows. Petiole nitrate concentrations increased consistently with increasing N rate regardless of row spacing. However, plants in conventional rows had significantly greater nitrate concentrations compared to UNR plants across N treatments. Averaged across N rates, the 19-inch UNR row spacing significantly increased lint yields producing 1,089 lbs lint/acre compared to 865 lbs lint/acre for conventional 38-inch row spacings. Consistent with previous results, plant mapping data showed that UNR plants set a higher percentage of bolls on fruiting branches 1 through 5 compared to plants in conventional row spacings. In addition, increasing N rate tended to shift boll retention to higher positions, regardless of row spacing.



Reprinted from Proceedings of the 2000 Beltwide Cotton Conferences pp. 1437 - 1438
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Saturday, Jun 17 2000