Considerations for Cotton Planting and Early Season Growth

by | May 3, 2024 | Best Management Practices (BMPs), Cotton, Field Crops

Key considerations for cotton planting include:  Soil preparation and timing, variety selection, seed planting depth, stand count, and nutrient management . Credit Steve Li, Auburn

 

As we gear up for another planting season, it’s crucial to lay the groundwork for success from the very start. In this article, we will explore some key considerations for cotton planting and early season growth, equipping you with the knowledge and strategies needed to maximize yield potential and optimize crop performance.

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1.  Soil Preparation and Planting Timing

The foundation of a successful cotton crop begins with soil preparation. Adequate soil fertility, proper drainage, and optimal soil moisture levels are essential for promoting early seedling establishment and vigorous root development. Conduct soil tests to assess nutrient levels and pH and implement any necessary amendments prior to planting.

Additionally, timing is critical when it comes to planting cotton. While warm days certainly signal the onset of planting season, be careful to monitor overnight lows. Even with daytime highs of 90° F, if overnight lows drop to 50° F or less slow growth rates are still possible. Time planting around optimal temperatures, which are highs in the low to mid 80’s or higher, overnight lows in the 60’s or above, to ensure that the plant accumulates the needed daily DD60s, or heat units, for rapid growth and emergence. The general rule is 50 to 60 heat units are required after planting to achieve emergence and accumulating 6 to 10 heat units per day during the five- to seven-day period after planting is considered favorable conditions. Planting too early can expose seedlings to the risk of cold stress, while delayed planting may result in reduced yield potential due to shorter growing seasons.

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2.  Variety Selection

Selecting the right cotton variety is paramount for achieving desired agronomic traits, yield, and fiber quality. Consider factors such as maturity, lint quality, disease resistance, nematode resistance, pest tolerance, and cost when choosing varieties suited to your specific growing conditions. It is very important to select varieties that fit specific fields. It is best to consider multi-year and multi-site performance averages when they are available.  However, due to the rate of varietal release, many new varieties are sold that have not undergone multi-year university testing, or perhaps no university testing at all. The results from 2023 cotton variety demonstrations at WFREC are presented in the table below. Additionally, how these varieties responded to potassium deficiency during dry conditions in 2023 can be found in the Ask IFAS publication:  Potassium Deficiency in Cotton: Causes, Symptoms, and Considerations.  Consult with local agronomists, extension specialists, and seed providers to identify varieties best suited to your operation.

2023 WFREC Cotton Variety Trial Summary

2023 cotton demonstration plot yields at the WFREC-Jay Research Facility.

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3.  Seedbed Preparation and Planting Depth

Proper seedbed preparation and planting depth are critical for ensuring uniform seedling emergence and early season growth. Aim for a firm, well-prepared seedbed with adequate soil moisture to facilitate seed-to-soil contact and encourage rapid germination. Although cotton doesn’t require much water for adequate growth early in the season, planting into good soil moisture is essential to ensure rapid and uniform germination and emergence. It is more beneficial to plant into a moist seed bed where water can be readily imbibed by the seed, rather than into a dry seed bed and waiting until there is enough moisture to initiate germination. This is more important to consider in Florida, as sandy soils do not hold water well, conduct water poorly, and dry out more rapidly than other soils. Plant seeds at a depth of 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) to promote optimal root development and minimize risk of seedling diseases.

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4.  Stand count

It is important to achieve a  good stand count.  A minimum of 20,000 plants per acre are necessary to obtain reasonable yield. Be particularly careful in later planted rain-fed fields; if there is a stand problem (e.g., dry weather, packing rains, insects) in a field planted in late May or early June, it may well be too late to replant before poor stands are recognized. On irrigated fields, cotton stands are usually not a problem and very good yields have been obtained with late May to mid-June plantings. Scout fields regularly for signs of pest and disease pressure, and take timely action to mitigate potential threats. Additional information regarding early season insect pest (thrips and plant bug) management in cotton can be found in the recent published article,  Early Season Thoughts for Cotton and Peanut Insect Pest Management 2024, by Dr. Isaac Esquivel, Crop Entomologist.

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5.  Nutrient Management

Proper nutrient management is essential for sustaining cotton growth and optimizing yield potential throughout the growing season. Pay particular attention to nitrogen (N) management, ensuring sufficient N availability during critical growth stages to support vegetative growth and boll development. Cotton grows the slowly and takes up relatively low amounts of nutrients for the first 40–60 days of growth, but this increases rapidly at squaring. Therefore, fertilization should be timed to provide adequate nutrition to the young cotton plants at the rapid development stage. Starter or row-applied fertilizer may be more critical on infertile, cold, and droughty soils. Starter N on sandy soils has resulted in increased yields, while no yield increase was noted for starter N on heavy soils. Liquid or complete dry granular fertilizer may be applied at planting near the row, and some data suggest that rates may be reduced 25%–30% when row-applied as compared with broadcast applications. Another important nutrient for cotton production is potassium (K). If cotton is planted on sandy soils, K applications may be split between at-plant (1/3 or less) and squaring to early bloom (2/3).

By carefully considering these key factors during cotton planting and early season growth, growers can establish a strong foundation for a successful crop. From soil preparation and variety selection to seedbed preparation and nutrient management, every decision made in the early stages of the growing season can have a significant impact on overall crop performance and yield potential.

Hardeep Singh
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