1. Effect of Planting Pattern on Cotton Growth and Yield
Daniel O. Stephenson, IV and
Shawn W. Lancaster
Northeast Research and Extension Center

2. Planting Pattern (a.k.a. Row Spacing)
Early 1800’s, cotton seeded on beds with 4-foot centers.
Cotton planting pattern changed to 38” to 40” rows.

3. Planting Pattern What is best? Lots of research 30” to 40” rows?
Dr. Trey Koger – Miss. St. Univ.
What is best?
Lots of research
30” to 40” rows?
15” rows?
Ultra narrow rows
7” to 10” rows?

4. 2007 Research Planting Pattern x Seeding Rate Planting patterns
Single 38” row
Twin 7 ½” row
Twin 15” row
Seeding rates (seeds/acre)
20,000
35,000
45,000
55,000
65,000
75,000
90,000

5. Planting Patterns What do they look like?
Planted on Raised Beds
36,38, or 40” middle
38” center
Single 38” row
30 ½” middle
7 ½” apart
38” center
Twin 7 ½” row
23” middle
15” apart
38” center
Twin 15” row

6. Paired 15-Inch vs. Single 38-inch cotton
Northeast Research and Extension Center – Keiser, AR
Lon Mann Cotton Research Station – Marianna, AR

7. Paired 15-Inch vs. Single 38-inch cotton
Marianna
Silt loam soil
38” raised bed spacing
Stoneville 4554 B2RF
Planted: May 9th
Harvested: Mid-October
Keiser
Clay soil
Planted: May 11th
Harvested: Early-October

8. Paired 15-Inch vs. Single 38-inch cotton
Hipper-Roller

9. Paired 15-Inch vs. Single 38-inch cotton
Vacuum planter:
Single-38”-row
Twin-15”-row
Vacuum planter:
Twin-7½”-row

10. Paired 15-Inch vs. Single 38-inch cotton
Both sites furrow-irrigated

11. Crop Maintenance Keiser Marianna DOP May 11 May 9 Fertility
50 lb N/A (urea) – June 1
45 lb N/A (urea) – May 31
50 lb N/A (urea) – July 5
45 lb N/A (urea) – June 28
Herbicide
1.5 qt/A – May 11
Flomet 1.25 lb/A – May 11
24 oz/A – May 31 & June 22
23 oz/A + 1 oz/A – June 13
23 oz/A – July 5
1 qt/A – June 26
Insecticide
2 oz/A – July 5
Bidrin 6.4 oz/A – July 13
2 oz/A – July 23
2 oz/A – Aug. 7
Growth Mgnt.
8 oz/A – June 26
14 oz/A – July 13
Defoliation
Dropp 2 oz/A + Def 8 oz/A + 24 oz/A – Sept. 17
Dropp 2 oz/A + Def 8 oz/A – Sept. 19
Def 10 oz/A + 20 oz/A – Sept. 28
Dropp 3.2 oz/A + Def 8 oz/A + 32 oz/A – Sept. 28

12. Growth of a cotton plant
Monopodial Nodes (Vegetative)
Sympodial Nodes (Fruiting)
Monopodial
(Vegetative)
Branch
Sympodial
(Fruiting)
Sympodial Branch
Main-Stem Leaf
Sympodial Leaves 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 12 14 15
Adapted from: D.M. Oosterhuis - Growth and Development of a Cotton Plant – Univ. of AR CES MP 332

13. Planting Pattern & Seeding Rate
Plant Mapping – COTMAP
Plant Structure
FN = 1st fruiting node
M = # of monopodial (vegetative) branches
S = # of sympodial (fruiting) branches
ES = Highest sympodial branch with boll in 1st position
H2 = # of sympodial branches with 2 nodes
TN = # of total nodes
PHT = Plant height
IL = Internode length

14. Planting Pattern & Seeding Rate
Plant Mapping – COTMAP
Yield Variables
TB = # of total bolls
B1 = % of TB in 1st position
B2 = % of TB in 2nd position
OB = % of TB in outer positions
MB = % of TB as monopodial branch bolls
XB = % of TB as axillary bolls
BR1 = retention of 1st position bolls
BR2 = Retention of 2nd position bolls
EBR = Sum of 1st & 2nd position bolls on lowest 5 sympodial branches

15. Plant Survival Single-38” – planter issue
Keiser – clay soil
Marianna – silt loam soil
% plant survival
Single-38” 38 43
Twin-7 ½” 62
Twin-15” 58 70
Single-38” – planter issue
Keiser – hard soil at planting

16. Plant Structure Variables
No difference in planting pattern and seeding rate
Keiser
Marianna
Clay soil
Silt loam soil
Plant height
34 – 37 inches
37 – 46 inches
Total # of nodes/plant 21
20 – 21
Internode length
1.6 – 2 inches
2 – 2.4 inches

17. Plant Structure Variables Node # of 1st sympodial branch
No difference in planting pattern and seeding rate
Keiser – clay soil
6 – 7
Marianna – silt loam soil 7
1st sympodial
branch

18. Plant Structure Variables # of sympodial branches
Keiser – clay soil
Marianna – silt loam soil
No differences (15) a b b
Sympodial
branches
No seeding rate effect

19. Plant Structure Variables # of monopodial branches
No difference in planting pattern and seeding rate
Keiser – clay soil
2 – 3 monopodial branches
Marianna – silt loam soil
3 – 4 monopodial branches
Monopodial
branch

20. with boll in 1st position
Plant Structure Variables # of highest sympodium with boll in 1st position
# of highest sympodium
with boll in 1st position

21. Plant Structure Variables # of highest sympodium with boll in 1st position
Keiser – clay soil
Marianna – silt loam soil a a a b b b

22. Yield Variables Total # of bolls per plant
Keiser – clay soil a a ab b b b

23. Yield Variables Total # of bolls per plant
Marianna – silt loam soil a b b

24. Yield Variables 1st position % boll retention
No difference in planting pattern and seeding rate
Keiser – clay soil
37 – 42%
Marianna – silt loam soil
38 – 41%
1st position boll

25. Yield Variables 2nd position % boll retention

26. Yield Variables 2nd position % boll retention
Keiser – clay soil
Marianna – silt loam soil a a a b a b

27. Yield Variables % boll retention of 1st & 2nd position on 1st 5 sympodia3 4 5

28. Yield Variables % boll retention of 1st & 2nd position on 1st 5 sympodia
Keiser – clay soil
Marianna – silt loam soil a a ab b b b

29. Lint Yield 38% Gin Turnout
Keiser – clay soil
Marianna – silt loam soil a a a a a b

30. Preliminary Conclusions
Little to no differences in planting patterns
Twin-15” cotton may be a better fit for clay soil than for silt loam soil
Twin-7 ½” cotton similar to single-38”
Little differences in seeding rate
45,000; 55,000; 65,000
Research will continue in 2008

31. Thanks for funding!
Arkansas Cotton Support Board
Cotton Incorporated

32. Questions?