Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T03:35:15.881Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The influence of various soil moisture-régimes on the yield and quality of cotton in an arid zone*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. Amir
Affiliation:
The Volcani Institute of Agricultural Research, Bet Dagan, Israel
H. Bielorai
Affiliation:
The Volcani Institute of Agricultural Research, Bet Dagan, Israel

Summary

The results of three cotton irrigation experiments in the western Negev region indicate that by increasing the intervals between irrigations and by applying the first irrigation at the beginning of flowering, maximum yields of 1700–2100 kg/ha can be obtained with three irrigations. In all treatments except the one with four irrigations, about 0·31 kg of lint was produced for each 1 m3 of irrigation water. In the three driest treatments, where cotton suffered from moisture stress during various periods of growth, no differences in lint quality could be detected in comparison with wetter treatments. As long as there were clear drought symptoms, such as in the three driest treatments, additional irrigation increased the number of bolls/plant, while the average boll weight remained unaffected. Additional irrigation in treatments where there were no clear water stress symptoms did not increase the number of bolls/plant, but increased the average boll weight.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1969

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bielorai, H. & Shimshi, D. (1963). The influence of the depth of wetting and the shortening of the irrigation season on the water consumption and yields of irrigated cotton. Israel J. agric. Res. 13, 5562.Google Scholar
Eaton, F. M. (1950). Cotton. III. Physiology of the cotton plant. Adv. Agron. 2, 1125.Google Scholar
Farbrother, H. G. (1958). Growth analysis and soil moisture. Prog. Rep. Exp. Stns. Emp. Gott. Grow. Corp. 1957–8, Uganda, pp. 2132.Google Scholar
Fuchs, M. & Stanhill, G. (1963). The use of Class A evaporation pan data to estimate the irrigation water requirement of the cotton crop. Israel J. agric. Res. 13, 6378.Google Scholar
Gaston, J. E. & Barefoot, A. D. (1959). Irrigation experiments at Altus and El Reno. Bull. Okla. agric. Exp. Stn. (Progr. Rep. 1954–8), no. 534.Google Scholar
R., Hanks, H., Gardner & R., Florian (1968). Evapotranspiration—climate relations for several crops in the central Great Plains. Agron. J. 60, 538–42.Google Scholar
Harris, K. & Hawkins, R. S. (1942). Irrigation requirement of cotton on clay loam soils in the Salt River Valley. Bull. Ariz, agric. Exp. Stn. no. 181, 421–59.Google Scholar
Hope, C., King, C. J. & Parker, O. (1936). The effect of crazy-top disorder on cotton plants, and its control by irrigation management. Tech. Bull. U.S. Dep. Agric. 515.Google Scholar
Krantz, A. B., Swanson, N. P., Stokinger, K. R. & Carreker, J. R. (1955). Irrigating cotton to insure higher yields. In Yb agric. U.S. Dep. Agric. Water, pp. 381–8.Google Scholar
Levin, I. & Shmueli, E. (1964). The response of cotton to various irrigation régimes in the Hula Valley. Israel J. agric. Res. 14, 211–25.Google Scholar
Marani, A. & Fuchs, Y. (1964). Effect of the amount of water applied as a single irrigation on cotton growth under dryland conditions. Agron. J. 56, 281–2.Google Scholar
Marani, A. & Horwitz, M. (1963). Growth and yield of cotton as affected by the time of a single irrigation. Agron. J. 55, 219–22.Google Scholar
Spooner, A., Caviness, C. & Spurgeon, W. (1958). Influence of timing of irrigation on yield, quality and fruiting of upland cotton. Agron. J. 50, 74–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stockton, J. R., Doneen, L. D. & Walhood, V. T. (1961). Boll shedding and growth of the cotton plant in relation to irrigation frequency. Agron. J. 53, 273–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar