How are cotton seeds selected? What are the seedling-raising methods?
Cotton is one of the world's most important crops, with large yields and low production costs, which makes cotton products relatively inexpensive; it can be made into fabrics of many specifications, from lightweight and transparent voile to thick canvas and thick velveteen, suitable for making all kinds of clothing, furnishing fabrics and industrial fabrics, and it is also an important nectar plant. So how are cotton seeds selected? What are the seedling-raising methods? Let's take a look together below.
1. How are cotton seeds selected?
Cotton is usually propagated by seed. The seed has a hard, thick seed coat and a well-developed embryo; a longitudinal groove on the ventral side of the seed is the hilum, and the protruding part at the tip of the seed is the chalaza. To increase cotton yield, the seeds usually need to be sun-dried, soaked and dressed before sowing.
Seeds that have been stored for several years may still germinate but have no vigor and struggle to push through the soil, so they must be avoided when selecting. Choose high-yield, high-quality varieties, buy from units with business qualifications, and check whether the seed packaging bag labeling is standard.
2. What are the seedling-raising methods for cotton?
1. Plastic-film frame seedling raising
Most ecological cotton regions across the country use the plastic-film frame seedling-raising method, mainly by sowing, covering with soil, then arching frames and covering with film, sealing all sides tightly, and ventilating to lower the temperature once the seedlings emerge evenly.
2. Nutrient block seedling raising
Nutrient block seedling raising is also called square seedling raising or block seedling raising. Different places use different names because of different measures taken; for example, using river mud, pond mud, etc. as bed soil for square seedling raising is called river-mud square seedling raising.
3. Flat-laid plastic-film seedling raising
Flat-laid plastic-film seedling raising saves labor and cost, simplifies management procedures, and is easy to operate, so it is easy for people to master. The film is laid directly on the seedbed, and when the 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 areas with more rainy weather during the seedling stage, this method causes relatively serious diseased seedlings and dead seedlings, so the seedling-raising period should be appropriately delayed in production, and it can be applied in cotton fields transplanted from late crops.
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, with the squaring stage advanced.
5. Ventilated mesh-film seedling raising
Ventilated mesh-film seedling raising is to cut conventional plastic film along the center line and sew a 10-15 cm wide nylon window screen in the middle, then cover it on the frame. Temperature and humidity are naturally regulated through the open part of the ventilation mesh, with no need to uncover by day and cover by night.
The above is an introduction to cotton. On the basis of the various seedling-raising methods above, in order to simplify seedling-raising procedures, various places have successively introduced new methods such as substrate seedling raising, soilless seedling raising, mechanized seedling raising, water-floating seedling raising, and plastic-tray seedling raising. Farmers can choose a seedling-raising method according to actual conditions.
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