Effects of Two Planting Patterns and Plant Densities on the Productivity and Profitability of Cotton

Aims: To evaluate the effect of two planting patterns across two plant densities on cotton growth, yield, fiber quality, and net returns.

Study Design: Randomized complete block design with a 2 x 2 factorial treatment arrangement with 3 replicates was used for a total of 12 plots.

Place and Duration of Study: Studies were conducted during the 2003 and 2004 growing seasons on a producer’s farm located south of Eagle Lake, Texas in Colorado County (29.49360 N, 96.34060 W).

Methodology: Rows were spaced 91.4-cm apart on raised beds. Plot size was eight rows by 972 m long. The two different factors included two row planting patterns, the solid pattern with every single row planted and the skip-row pattern with a 2x1 planting pattern where 2 rows are planted and 1 row is left fallow. For the skip-row pattern, rows three and six were not planted in the 8 row plot. The second factor was seeding rate with two plant populations of 84000 and 126000 plants/ha.

Results: In neither year were any differences seen with seeding rate. In 2003, days to cut-out with the skip-row pattern were 92.4d while with the solid pattern days to cut-out were 87.9d and plant height with the skip-row pattern was 100 cm while with the solid pattern, plant height was 87 cm. Lint yield was 1504 kg/ha for the solid pattern while with the skip-row pattern lint yield was 1347 kg/ha. In 2004, lint yield with the solid pattern was 27% greater than the skip-row pattern. Slight differences between the two planting patterns were observed during 2004 in days to cut-out or plant height. In both years, the solid planting pattern produced a net dollar value/ha increase over the skip-row pattern and therefore should be the row pattern used along the upper Texas Gulf Coast