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Effects of Planting Seed Size on Performance of Two Cultivars at Seven Locations

C. O. Gwathmey, N. R. Benson, W. D. Caldwell, K. D. Howard, T. A. Kerby and B. J. Phipps


 
ABSTRACT

Various size fractions separated from a commercial seed lot of cotton may differ in emergence, seedling vigor, and yield performance. Objectives of this study were to evaluate the performance of seed size fractions of two cultivars, relative to their original (composite) seed lots, in a range of field environments. Commercial seed lots of Deltapine DP 458 B/RR and Paymaster PM 1220 BG/RR were sized with slotted screens. The five size classes and the original seed lots of the two cultivars were planted in a RCB design in seven states (AR, AZ, LA, MO, MS, SC, TN) in 1999. Stand counts, seedling vigor (height-to-node ratio), and yield data were collected. Emergence percentage generally improved as seed size increased, but emergence response was influenced by the edaphic environment. Size effects were minimal in sandy soils but more pronounced on silty or clayey soils. Emergence of the largest sizes may have been hindered by soil crusting in some locations. The study was inconclusive regarding seed size effects on seedling vigor measured as height-to-node ratio. Across cultivars and locations, yields differed by size class, with the medium and larger sizes yielding slightly more than smaller sizes. Results suggest that planting larger sizes can improve emergence and yield performance in some environments, but additional information is needed on vigor and earliness effects.





Reprinted from Proceedings of the 2001 Beltwide Cotton Conferences pp. 494 - 497
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified XXXXXX, XXX XX 2001