Abstract
Cotton planting date effects in the U.S. Southern High Plains (SHP) were evaluated based on 11 years of May-planted and June-planted irrigated variety trials. Multiple cultivars planted in each year’s trial allowed for the calculation of 153 yield effects and 162 effects in 5 fiber quality parameters. Yield and quality effects were considered in the context of related changes in total growing season degree days (GDDS) and total cool hours (CHRS) during a boll formation period 80 to 110 days after planting. May planting increased GDDS and significantly increased yields in 8 of 10 years that comparisons could be made. Micronaire and fiber elongation were the most sensitive quality parameters to planting date. June planting resulted in increased CHRS every year and a significantly higher incidence of low micronaire in 7 of 11 years. In 7 of 11 years May planting significantly reduced fiber elongation relative to June planting. Analysis of SHP temperature data show that late-April to early-May planting dates may increase yield and micronaire by maximizing GDDS and minimizing CHRS. Although this practice may be optimal to the SHP environment it may also require high-vigor seed and pre-planting irrigation. Adapting genetics to an early planting strategy might include selecting for improved seed vigor and cold germination with acceptable yield and fiber quality traits.
Highlights
The Southern High Plains (SHP) of west Texas are the leading cotton production region in the United States’ leading cotton producing state, the region’s high altitude presents challenges to cotton growth
Peng et al [1] estimated that SHP cotton yields under adequately-watered conditions might be maximized with a summer growing degree day (GDD) accumulation of 1450.0
2005–2017 over Figure 1’s northern West Texas Mesonet (WTM) stations. This analysis of AgriLife irrigated variety trial data and regional (WTM) temperature data shows that additional growing degree days resulting from May planting can substantially increase lint yields relative to June planting
Summary
The Southern High Plains (SHP) of west Texas are the leading cotton production region in the United States’ leading cotton producing state, the region’s high altitude presents challenges to cotton growth. Most of the area’s top-producing counties are at elevations above 945 m (3100 ft), which leads to summer growing degree day (GDD) accumulations that usually fall short of levels that optimize crop development and yield. Peng et al [1] estimated that SHP cotton yields under adequately-watered conditions might be maximized with a summer GDD accumulation of 1450.0. Under current SHP climate conditions, there is less than a 5% probability that 15 May–15 October GDD totals would exceed 1400.0 ◦ C [2]. The SHP summer environment has been generally noted to be cool and degree-day limited relative to the requirements of cotton crop development [1,3,4]. To estimate the effects of elevation on SHP cotton yields, Mauget et al [2] (hereafter M17)
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