Effect of Nitrogen Management on Solid and Skip-Row 30-In Cotton

M. W. Ebelhar, R. A. Welch, and G. R. Tupper


 
ABSTRACT

The development of harvesting equipment to economically harvest narrow-row cotton has led to a renewed interested in narrow-row cotton production across the Cotton Belt. Research has been underway in Mississippi for the past several years to determine optimum production practices for narrow-row production. Fertilization management, varieties, planting dates, and planting patterns have been components of the research. Previous investigations demonstrated the potential for skip-row production of cotton grown in 30-in rows. Our research, conducted from 1991 through 1993 to evaluate N management for solid and skip-row 30-in cotton, involved both N rates and timing of applications for 30-in cotton planted in solid and 2x1 full skip patterns. Solid planted lint yields were 1325, 880, and 575 lb/land-acre (L-A) and skip-row yields were 1136, 772, and 535 lb lint/L-A for the respective years of the study. This reflects 14, 12, and 7% reductions in total lint production for skip-row cotton on a land-acre basis for the three respective years. When averaged across years, reductions in lint yield was 12% (113 lb/L-A/yr). With lint yield adjusted to a cotton-acre (C-A) basis, the yields for skip-row were 1703, 1158, and 802 lb lint/C-A and reflect lint yield increases of 29, 32, and 39% for the respective years. When averaged across years, average lint yields increased by 32% (294 lb/C-A/yr). There was no significant yield response to N in most years when N rates were increased above 90 lb N/A. Skip-row production for 30-in rows offers a viable alternative for increased yields with the potential for reduced costs of production.



Reprinted from Proceedings of the 1994 Beltwide Cotton Conferences pp. 1541 - 1544
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998