What to do when rain comes after cotton sowing? The latest countermeasures

After sowing cotton, rainy weather during the seedling stage not only affects the seed emergence rate and uniformity of emergence, but also affects the growth quality of cotton seedlings, causing yields to decline. Rain after cotton sowing is a headache-inducing phenomenon, so what should be done after cotton sowing in the rain? Let's take a look at the remedy methods.

1. Rain after sowing with plastic film

For planting methods using plastic film mulch, the accumulated water on the film should be cleared away promptly after rain. This is because the sowing rows under plastic film are generally somewhat lower than the ridges, so after rainfall the accumulated water on the film will collect on the sowing rows. If there is too much accumulated water, the film cannot withstand the pressure, causing the plastic film to rupture, and a large amount of rainwater will flow into the sowing rows. Excessive humidity under the film will cause cotton seed rot or induce disease. Another point is that accumulated water on the plastic film will affect the film's light transmittance and temperature, so after rainfall the accumulated water on the plastic film should be cleared away promptly. At the same time, shallow hoeing and cultivation should be carried out between the films to break up the compacted soil, raise the ground temperature, and favor seed germination.

2. Rain after open-field sowing

If it is open-field sowing, after rain the first thing to do is to cultivate and loosen the soil, break up the compacted soil condition, and help the seeds break through the soil and emerge. The depth of cultivation should also be treated differently. If the seeds have not yet germinated, the hoeing depth should not exceed the sowing depth, so as not to hoe the seeds directly out of the ground or move the seeds' position and affect emergence. If they have already germinated and rooted and are about to break through the soil, deeper hoeing can be done appropriately, but the young roots must not be damaged, so as not to affect seedling growth or cause seedling death.

3. According to the amount of rainfall

If it is a very small amount of rainfall that does not form surface runoff, there is no need to break the crust; the seeds can emerge normally on their own. If it is a small amount of harder rain, after rainfall treat it differently according to the sowing time. For those sown within three days, a wooden or iron roller with spike teeth can be used for light rolling to break up the compacted soil condition; for those sown within 5-6 days, a wooden or iron roller with ridges can be used for light rolling to break up the compacted soil condition; and for those sown more than a week ago, the manual seedling release method should be used to break up the compacted soil so as not to damage the young sprouts.

The above is an introduction to what to do when rain comes after cotton sowing. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please keep following us.