Selection of Varieties, Row Spacings and Plant Populations for Earliness

Thomas A. Burch


 
ABSTRACT

Today, cotton growers in most producing areas of the U.S. place a high priority on early maturity to help insure that the crop can be harvested before the onset of adverse weather. Research conducted across the cotton belt on the effects of varieties, raw spacings and plant populations on earliness was reviewed. This review revealed that most popular varieties grown today mature 30 to 40 days earlier than did varieties that were grown 20 to 25 years ago and that a plant population of 1-1/2 to 3 plants per foot in rows 38 to 40 inches apart promotes earliness and higher yields. Research in three growing areas, Southeast Missouri, the Texas High Plains and California shows that short season production systems that include 30-inch rows may Promote earliness. These advantages have not been demonstrated in other producing areas and almost all cotton in the U.S. today is grown in rows that are 38 to 40 inches apart.



Reprinted from Proceedings of the 1988: Beltwide Cotton Production Conference pp. 20 - 23
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998