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Experimental methods with cotton. IV. A study of the effects of gap-filling on the development and yield of cotton plants in poor stands of hand planted cotton

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

D. Macdonald
Affiliation:
Empire Cotton Growing Corporation, Cotton Experiment Station, Barberton, South Africa
W. L. Fielding
Affiliation:
Empire Cotton Growing Corporation, Cotton Experiment Station, Barberton, South Africa
D. F. Ruston
Affiliation:
Empire Cotton Growing Corporation, Cotton Experiment Station, Barberton, South Africa

Extract

1. Experience raised doubts as to the usefulness of filling gaps in bad stands of cotton at Barberton and experiments were conducted in two seasons to measure its effectiveness. The experiments gave clear-cut results.

2. Randomized gaps ranging from 20 to 40% of the stand were filled and left open for comparison, the filling being done 13 and 19 days after planting.

3. Any reduction in stand, though reducing yield per acre, led to large and significant increases in yield per plant, even when the spacing was 3 by 3 ft., wider than that normally used on the Station.

4. Replanting the gaps in a bad stand did not lead to any increase in yield per acre; there were, in fact, indications that this practice actually reduced yield per acre, the refills preventing plants of the original sowing from benefiting fully from the extra space available to them in a bad stand.

5. The general conclusion is that no useful purpose is served by refilling the gaps in poor stands of cotton with up to 40% of gaps.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1947

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References

REFERENCES

Jameson, J. D. & Weatherley, P. E. (1945). Exp. Stas Emp. Cott. Or. Corp. p. 101.Google Scholar
MacDonald, D., Fielding, W. L. & Ruston, D. F. (1940). Exp. Stas Emp. Cott. Gr. Corp. p. 23.Google Scholar
Nowell, W. (1940). E.C.G.C. Review of work of Exp. Stas.Google Scholar