This study was conducted in greenhouse conditions at the DSER/CCA/UFPB, located in Areia, PB, Brazil. The main objective was to evaluate two methods of determination of available soil water, a direct method (DM) and a laboratory method (LM), and the effect of three levels of available water, 10, 25 and 40% as indicative of irrigation management in cotton crop (Gossypium hirsutum L. r. latifolium Hutch). A completely randomized block was utilized in a 2 x 3 factorial scheme, with three replications. The variance analysis showed that the values of the available soil water using the direct method were significantly (p < 0.01) higher than the laboratory method. The management of irrigation in the cotton crop using 40% of available water by DM, showed better results of evapotranspiration, leaf area and above ground biomass. Interaction of methods versus levels of available water for all variables studied was also found.
Gossypium hirsutum; irrigation; yield
