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Pima and Upland Cotton Response to Irrigation Management 1
Author(s) -
Kittock D. L.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1979.00021962007100040023x
Subject(s) - lint , irrigation , agronomy , gossypium barbadense , cultivar , yield (engineering) , moisture stress , gossypium hirsutum , fiber crop , environmental science , biology , moisture , geography , materials science , meteorology , metallurgy
American Pima cotton ( Gossypium barbadense L.) traditionally is stressed more for moisture before irrigating than is Upland cotton ( G. hirsutum L.). With improved cultivars of each species, many growers now irrigate both in a similar manner. The purpose of this research was to determine if current cultivars of the two species respond differently to irrigation. Upland and Pima cultivars were compared for 4 years under five irrigation regimes at Phoenix, Ariz. Water was metered into closed basins. Treatments consisted of watering every 7, 14, and 21 days for 4 years. Additional treatments for 2 years were watered every 28 days and watered every 7 days at 50% more water than the original 7‐day treatment. Highest yield of Pima cotton was from a treatment of one irrigation regime drier than Upland cotton in 3 of 4 years and the same regime for 1 year. Pima cotton lint yield was reduced more by excess water and less by water stress than was the yield of Upland cotton. Higher lint yields were obtained under less frequent irrigation (greater water stress) in years of low productivity. These data suggest that yield of Upland cotton may be increased by more frequent irrigation than is the current practice.