Updating Recommendations for Cotton Planting Density in the Texas Rolling Plains.

With the development of new cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) varieties and advancement in seed technologies, it is essential to have an up-to-date management practices. The best management practices (BMP’s) for cotton in the Rolling plains region of Texas need to be updated, including planting density. Optimizing planting population can help maximize yield potential and reduce input costs. To accomplish this, cotton variety Phytogen 333, which is commonly planted in the Rolling Plains, was tested at four seeding rates (1.7, 3.4, 4.4, and 5.6 seeds ft^-1) on 40” rows. Performance was tested in dryland and irrigated conditions, including measurement of lint yield and biomass partitioning throughout the growing season. The first year of data showed that lint yields were numerically higher at 4.4 seeds ft^-1 in both dryland and irrigated conditions (1.36 Mg ha^-1 and 0.9 Mg ha^-1 respectively). The plants reached maturity earlier in the higher seeding rates in dryland conditions. Leaf and stem biomass were generally higher on the higher density planting throughout the season, while the reproductive biomass was higher at the lowest planting density (1.7 seeds ft^-1) by the end of the season in dryland plots. The final results of this study, including the results from 2017, should give us a clear perspective on the optimum planting density of this crop in the Texas Rolling Plains region.