Growth, yield and fiber quality of cotton color influenced by the plant population

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth, the productivity and fiber quality of color cotton in different plant populations. Was adopted the design in randomized blocks, in factorial scheme 5 x 8 for the growth variables and unifatorial for the production components, with four replications. The factors were plant populations (125,000; 41,667; 25,000; 17,857; and 13,889 plants ha^-1) and evaluation periods (15; 30; 45; 60; 75; 90; 105 and 120 days after emergence). Five different plant densities were used to compose the plant populations, 10; 3.3; 2; 1.42; and 1.1 plants per meter. The experimental units presented 4 m wide, 6 m long and 6 plant lines spaced 0.80 meters between rows and the two central ones, the useful area. Were evaluated plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, number of bolls per m², number of bolls per plant, weight of fruits per plant, productivity of seed cotton, productivity of lint and technological characteristics of fiber. The increase in plant population reduces the stem diameter, plant height, leaf area, the number of fruits and weight of fruits per plant, but does not influence the number of bolls per m². The highest yield of seed cotton and fiber of cotton were obtained the populations of 71,471 and 72,964 plants ha^-1, respectively. The technological characteristics of fiber, short fiber index, tear strength and spinning index are improved with the cultivation of 125,000 ha^-1 plants.

Key words:
Gossypium hirsutum; intraspecific competition; plant density