A Detailed Explanation of Key Cotton Planting and Management Techniques

Since cotton was introduced into our country, its use value has been continuously explored, and many items in our daily lives are inextricably linked to cotton. Cotton is used in large quantities and by a broad range of people, so increasing cotton's per-mu yield is all the more important. How can we plant and manage cotton to achieve higher yields?

Cotton Planting and Management Techniques

1. Ensure a full stand of seedlings

Measures should be taken as early as possible where seedlings are missing: transplant reserve seedlings sown at the same time into the gaps as early as possible. The earlier the transplanting, the shorter the seedling recovery period, the faster normal growth resumes, and the better the gap with other seedlings can be narrowed. When no reserve seedlings are available, surplus seedlings from between rows should be transplanted as early as possible. If no reserve seedlings were sown, there are no surplus seedlings between rows, and quite a few seedlings are missing, reseeding should be done as early as possible. Transplanting or reseeding into gaps should be appropriately sparse, following the rule: where 2 are missing, fill in 1; where 3 are missing, fill in 2; where 4 are missing, fill in 3.

2. Intertillage and soil loosening

Early intertillage and soil loosening in open-field rows can promptly eliminate the compaction formed by machinery traffic and foot traffic during sowing, reduce soil moisture and lessen seedling-stage diseases, and raise soil temperature to promote early development of cotton seedlings. After each rainfall, intertillage and soil loosening should be carried out in good time so that the loose soil layer remains loose, and soil temperature, air, moisture and nutrients are better regulated, promoting rapid root growth, deep rooting and wide distribution, forming a well-developed root system that enhances the ability to absorb water and nutrients and resist adverse external conditions, achieving strong seedlings and early development. For open-field rows, the intertillage depth should be 8-10cm; intertillage should not be done too frequently, and it is enough to keep the ground free of weeds, non-compacted and the surface soil fairly loose.

3. Prevent disease early

Diseases that occur in cotton before squaring are collectively called seedling-stage diseases. During this period the nutritional area is small and the root system is not yet well developed; when low-temperature rainy weather occurs, pathogens easily infect the plants, causing weak growth of cotton seedlings in mild cases and large-scale seedling death in severe cases. Based on disease incidence over the years, damping-off, anthracnose, red rot and others are the most prominent. These diseases occur early, spread quickly and cause serious damage, so they must be prevented with great vigilance. In preventing seedling diseases, stress should be placed on the word “early” and the word “prevention.” So-called early means applying sprays before disease occurs. Putting “prevention” first means preventing disease without seeing disease; only with an awareness of prevention can initiative be shown in the “early” aspect. If treatment is given only after disease is seen, prevention and control costs will increase, more labor will be needed, there will be more weak seedlings, premature aging is likely, and the final yield will be affected.

Cotton Planting Time

Due to differences in weather and climate across regions, cotton planting time also differs. Generally speaking, cotton planting time is around April each year. In fact, starting in the third month of spring, farmers begin buying cotton seeds to plant cotton, but because cotton is not planted directly in the ground like beans, at this time they are cultivating cotton seedlings, so the actual planting time for cotton should be late March to early April.

Cotton Seedling-Raising Techniques

1. Plastic-film frame seedling raising: Most ecological cotton regions across the country use the plastic-film frame seedling-raising method, mainly by sowing and covering with soil, then placing arches and covering with film, sealing the surroundings tightly, and ventilating to lower temperature after full emergence.

2. Nutrient-block seedling raising: Nutrient-block seedling raising is also called square seedling raising or block seedling raising. Different places have different names because of different measures adopted; for example, using river mud, pond mud and the like as seedbed soil for square seedling raising is called river-mud square seedling raising.

3. Plastic-film flat-laid seedling raising: Plastic-film flat-laid seedling raising saves labor and cost, simplifies management procedures and operation techniques, and is easy for people to master. The film is laid directly on the seedbed, and when cotton sprouts push through the soil the film is broken to release the seedlings. The plastic film used is only 18% of the thickness of commonly used agricultural film. In regions with much rainy weather during the seedling stage, seedling raising by this method results in relatively serious diseased and dead seedlings, so in production the seedling-raising period should be appropriately delayed, and it can be applied in cotton fields transplanted from late stubble.

4. Double-film seedling raising: Double-film seedling raising is a seedling-raising method in which, after sowing and covering with soil, a layer of plastic film is first laid flat and then an arched shed is added. It solves the problem of stiff seedlings and diseased seedlings easily caused by rainy and low-temperature weather after early-spring sowing, and the cotton seedlings raised are of good quality and reach the squaring stage earlier.

5. Ventilated mesh-film seedling raising: Ventilated mesh-film seedling raising is to cut conventional plastic film along the center line, sew a 10-15 cm wide nylon window screen in the middle, and cover it on the arched frame. Temperature and humidity are naturally regulated through the open part of the ventilated mesh, with no need to uncover by day and cover by night.

Medicinal Value of Cotton

Nature and flavor: sweet in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic.

Function: stop bleeding. Treats vomiting blood, bloody stool, uterine bleeding, metal-wound bleeding and other conditions.

Usage: Internal use: calcined to preserve its nature and made into powder; external use: burned to ash and sprinkled.

1. To treat vomiting blood and bloody stool: cotton (burned to ash), bitter orange, musk. Take with rice.

2. To treat uterine bleeding: cotton, charred human hair, burned soot from the bottom of a cooking pot, charred palm fiber, lotus flower center, angelica, cogongrass flower, safflower, wrapped in mud and (burned) to preserve its nature, add musk, and take with wine.

Efficient cotton planting and management, along with timely planting and cultivation, are the foundation for high cotton yields. When planting cotton, attention should also be paid to the prevention and control of pests and diseases, and then to selecting higher-quality cotton varieties, etc. In addition to some common functions and applications, cotton also possesses certain medicinal value. We must make full use of everything and fully utilize all existing resources.