Cotton Fiber Quality is Related to Boll Location and Planting Date

Abstract

Early cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) planting in the Texas Coastal Bend has the potential for improved performance through drought avoidance. This 2‐yr field study was conducted to compare the effect of boll position on fiber properties across planting dates and to determine how flowering date, boll position, and environmental factors affect fiber quality. Cotton (‘Deltapine 5409’) was planted early March, late March, and mid‐April each year. In 1997, lint yield for the early planting date (731 kg ha−1) was significantly higher than the middle (622 kg ha−1) and late (533 kg ha−1) planting dates. No significant differences in yield were found in 1999. Boll distribution patterns for middle‐ and late‐planted cotton were similar. In 1997, the drier of the 2 yr, fiber length and micronafis values increased at all boll locations with earliness of planting while in 1999, the longest and most mature fiber was associated with a number of boll locations in the middle planting date. High temperatures before and during boll development accompanied by adequate moisture increased fiber maturity.

Evaluation of Planting Date, Variety, and PRE Herbicide on Thrips Infestations, Cotton Growth and Development, and Lint Yield

“…In addition, DP 1252 B2RF planted in mid-April and mid-May yielded significantly greater than the same variety planted in late May. These data agree with Davidonis et al (2004), who reported that lint yields for cotton planted early in the growing season were significantly greater than lint yields of cotton planted at later planting dates. However, DP 1252 B2RF produced less lint yield when compared to DP 0912 B2RF when planted mid-June (Table 4).…”

“…Many producers prefer to plant as early as possible in order to facilitate earlier harvest. Early cotton planting typically occurs when soil temperatures reach at least 18°C (Silvertooth et al, 1999;Boman and Lemon, 2005), and has been shown to increase lint yields by up to 10% (Bibro and Ray, 1973;Pettigrew, 2002;Davidonis et al, 2004;Adams et al, 2013). Planting cotton earlier has also been shown to reduce infestation from late season insect pests (Pettigrew, 2002;Adams et al, 2013).…”

Stress Responses of Commercial Cotton Cultivars to Reduced Irrigation at Flowering and Maximization of Yields under Sub-Optimal Subsurface Drip Irrigation

“…9). Water status of the plant during the elongation period influences fiber length (Davidonis, et al, 2004, Ramey, 1986. showed significant reductions in fiber lengths when stress occurred in DP 0912, DP0935, FM 9170 and FM 9180 at early flowering, peak bloom, and peak bloom to termination.…”

Combining Ability and Variability for Fiber Maturity among Diverse World Cotton Genotypes

“…The environmental variation between the harvested bolls was minimized by only selecting first position bolls, as they first opened, in the middle fruiting zone. The first position bolls in the middle fruiting zone have the highest quality fibers compared to the other bolls found on a cotton plant, particularly in terms of fiber length and micronaire (Davidonis et al, 2004). The seed cotton was exposed by hand removal of the ovary wall, or burr, under limited light and allowed to air dry for at least 72 h. This procedure was necessary for a study of degree of fiber whiteness which will be published separately.…”