TITLE:
Effects of Plant Density on Boll Retention and Yield of Cotton in the Mid-South
AUTHORS:
Jack C. McCarty, Johnie N. Jenkins, Russell W. Hayes, Martin J. Wubben
KEYWORDS:
Cotton, Plant Population, Fruit Retention, Plant Skips
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.8 No.4,
March
31,
2017
ABSTRACT: The number of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants being grown per unit of land area has
gained attention due to the technology fees associated with seed containing
value added traits. We investigated boll retention, yield, and yield components
of cotton grown with reduced stands of 20% to 40% from the uniform planting
pattern of four seeds per 30.5 cm of row. Five field experiments were conducted
from 2012-2014
using eight treatments arranged in a randomized complete design with six
replications. Yield and yield component data were collected. The plant one-row
skip one-row treatment resulted in significant yield losses across all five
experiments compared to the uniform planting pattern. Treatments with 20% stand
reductions did not result in lower total yields; however, each plant in these
treatments had to produce two additional bolls to maintain yield. Treatments
which had at least 61 cm skips, 40% stand reduction, resulted in lower yields. Treatments
had minor affects on boll weight, and lint percentage. The uniform planting
pattern produced 67% of its yield from position one bolls compared to about 50%
for treatments with reduced stands. Reduced stand treatments produced about 20%
of their yield on monopodial branches compared to 10% for the uniform
treatment. With modern precision planting equipments, opportunities exist to reduce seed rate and
maintain yield; however, many production risk factors must also be considered
before a reduced seeding rate is adopted.