Cotton sparse cultivation has several distinctive features. First, it reduces labor demands. Each mu of land now receives less nutrients than in previous years, but the transplanting speed has doubled, helping to ease labor shortages. The pruning process has been simplified, and the removal of side shoots is no longer required. Only the top of the plant is pinched at the right time, allowing for better control of the main stem growth. This method is also efficient, as it allows for intercropping without affecting cotton yield. Due to the 100-centimeter row spacing and ample sunlight between rows, light energy can be fully utilized. In practice, farmers often intercrop one row of peanuts every 40 cm beside the cotton rows, resulting in approximately 80 kg of peanuts per mu, significantly boosting economic returns.
Timely sowing and strong seedling development are essential for high yields in sparse planting. Sowing is typically done in early April, about 7–10 days earlier than usual, which helps the flowering period occur five days ahead of schedule. This early start promotes more effective bolls and better growth. A 7-cm-long and 10-cm-wide nutrition bowl is used during the seedling stage to ensure proper management and prevent overcrowding. When transplanted, the seedlings should be 21 cm tall with four true leaves to meet the standard for strong, healthy plants.
Applying sufficient base fertilizer is crucial for promoting early growth. Ensuring strong seedling development, especially of the main branches, is fundamental for achieving high yields. It's recommended to apply 2,500 kg of quality farmyard manure and 50 kg of NPK compound fertilizer per mu. During transplanting, diluted manure water is poured into the holes to improve transplanting quality and reduce the shock period. Urea at 20 kg per mu is used to promote early flowering and fruit setting.
Expanding the row spacing while reducing the plant spacing helps achieve even growth. With a row width of 100 cm and a plant spacing of 35 cm, the planting density reaches 1,800 per mu. This arrangement ensures each plant benefits from good light and air circulation, delaying the closure period by two weeks. Even when the canopy closes, the shading is less severe compared to conventional fields, leading to a significant increase in boll formation. According to field surveys, the boll set rate reached 39.4%, up by 7.4 percentage points from the previous year.
Smart use of public branches is key to achieving high yields. Each plant should have 2–3 strong public branches. Field data showed an average of 2.8 public branches per plant, with 7.8 bolls per branch, accounting for 27.7% of the total bolls per plant—nearly one-third. The average number of bolls per mu was 41.59 million. Although reduced density may lead to fewer bolls overall, proper management can still maintain productivity.
Proper chemical control is important for improving plant structure and managing population dynamics. In high-density fields (over 3,000 per mu), chemical control helps regulate the microclimate. However, in sparse planting, there is usually no issue with light or air flow, allowing for better photosynthetic material accumulation. In dry years like 2000, no chemical control was needed, and in 2001, even with some rain, no chemical intervention was required, and no shading issues occurred due to excessive growth. If rainy conditions persist, flexible adjustments should be made based on actual field conditions.
Finally, attention must be paid to the timing of public heart removal and the growth of main branches. The first three fruit branches on the main stem have a higher boll-setting rate, while later ones tend to decline. Removing side hearts when the main branches have three fruit branches helps concentrate nutrients for better growth. Additionally, the planting density should not be too low. In 2000, with a density of 1,475 plants per mu, the total boll count was 41.59 million, but the yield was not optimal. After adjusting the row spacing, strict control over plant distance ensured that 2,000 plants were planted per mu, keeping the total boll count between 55,000 and 60,000 per mu, which supports higher yields.
Tyvek Cleansteam Bags,Steam Sterilizable Bags ,Ultraclean Breathe Bags
AUSTAR Goup , https://www.hansencleanroom.com