Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC) - Sudan
Proceedings of the Meetings of the National Crop Husbandry Committee - NCHC
Back to the 38th Meeting of the NCHC - Contents
Effect of plant density on growth, yield and quality of
morphologically varying cotton varieties
Elfadil A. Babiker , Azhari A. Hamada, Hassan O. Kanan, Salah Bilal
Ahmed and Abdelrahman H. Abdelatif
Abstract:
Field experiments were conducted at Rahad Research Station for seasons
1987-88, 1988-89, 2000-01and 2001-02, focusing on how the variation in
genotypes, plant density, spatial arrangement and their interactions
affects cotton yield and quality. Studies on inter and intra-rows
(1987-88 and 1988-89 ) revealed that 100 cm rows being pre-requisite for
cotton mechanical pickers had significantly decreased the seed cotton
yield by 20% averaged across seasons. Future cotton pickers should
therefore be adjusted to 80 cm rows. On the other hand variation due to
within row spacings (10-20cm) corresponding to plant density of
63.000–375.000 plants/ha had small and insignificant effect on seed
cotton of variety Shambat–B. Therefore, variety based specific plant
density is not appropriate, hence, regression analysis for plant density
yield targeting response curve exhibited a curvilinear relationship with
the highest seed cotton yield achieved at 125000 plants/ha for the three
varieties studied and thereafter started to decrease. Differences in the
range of 75.000–187.000 plant\ha were not significant. Sticky cotton due
to honeydew secretions was thermodetectly measured, with sticky spots
for Acala (93)H, Barac(67)B and Sudac-K being in the ranges of 6-40,
4-22 and 0-12, respectively. Yet, for each variety the sticky spots
increased concomitantly with the increase in planting density. This was
discussed in relation to variability in variety specific traits such as
hairiness, glabrousness and plant canopy architecture. Nevertheless,
these values were dramatically lower than those recorded internationally
for the Sudan Cotton. Days to the last pick were 130,170 and 185 for
Sudac-k, Barac(67)B and Acala (93)H, respectively. Accordingly, Sudac-K
which is an early maturing, super-okra-leaf (SOL), highly resistant to
whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) but of comparatively low yield emerged as a
suitable choice for a short duration low management system where
problems of late irrigation and build up of whiteflies are anticipated.
Conversely, Nour (93), being hairy, physiologically efficient in
compensating yield losses due to late adversities and with stay green
character is best fitted into the integrated crop management (ICM)
strategy.
Proceedings of the Meetings of the National Crop Husbandry Committee 37th (2005) pp. 125-134
Proceedings of the Meetings of the National Crop Husbandry Committee - Sudan
Copyright©2008 National Crop Husbandry Committee
