How to Top-Dress Cotton? Key Technical Points Explained
Cotton is indispensable in our lives. Many friends think cotton is a processed product, but in fact cotton is grown directly. Its planting area in our country is very large, because cotton is a daily necessity - things like cotton-padded jackets and quilts are made with cotton as the main material. Actually, growing cotton requires considerable skill, and proper top-dressing is the key to successful cultivation. So how should top-dressing be done when growing cotton? Let's take a look below!
1. Seedling fertilizer
Seedling fertilizer is the first top-dressing applied during the growing process. Proper application of seedling fertilizer can effectively promote root development, causing the roots to extend and spread, enhancing the ability to absorb nutrients, speeding up transport, and improving seedling growth. Seedling fertilizer is mainly nitrogen fertilizer, but be careful not to over-apply it; the specific amount depends on the growth of the seedlings and the fertility of the soil. If the base fertilizer was insufficient and the seedlings are growing weakly, a high-nitrogen compound fertilizer can be used to promote growth. If the soil fertility is sufficient and the seedlings are growing strongly, seedling fertilizer application can be stopped.
2. Flower bud fertilizer
After flower buds appear on the cotton plant, the need for nutrients becomes greater, so nutrient supplementation should be strengthened at this time. Reasonable top-dressing during the bud stage is beneficial to the later growth of the plant. It can not only keep the plant growing both vegetatively and reproductively at the same time, but also speed up the plant's growth rate so that it sets fruit earlier. Compound fertilizer can be used for bud fertilizer; dig a trench around the plant and apply it by the trench method. However, be careful not to let the plant come into contact with the fertilizer, especially the roots, otherwise the fertilizer will burn the roots, causing root damage and hindering nutrient absorption and transport.
3. Flower and boll fertilizer
It was mentioned earlier that when cotton flower buds appear, the fertilizer requirement gradually increases. When cotton enters the flowering and boll stage, it is the period of greatest fertilizer demand during the growing process. So at this time, sufficient nutrients must be ensured for the plant's growth, and compound fertilizer can also be used. The timing of top-dressing depends on the growth situation; if soil fertility is low and cotton growth is weak, fertilizer can be applied appropriately earlier. Mainly, fertilizer is applied after the plant flowers. When the flowering rate of the plants reaches 4/5, select 1-2 strong-growing plants and begin top-dressing.
4. Topping fertilizer
The main purpose of applying topping fertilizer is to prevent cotton from lacking nutrients during the later fruiting and ripening stage, which would cause premature aging. Topping fertilizer can enhance the plant's resistance, maintain the plant's growth rate, reduce the incidence of pests and diseases, and also help increase yield and improve quality. The method and timing of fertilization are mainly to top-dress outside the roots after the plant has been topped, and the type of fertilizer used depends on the plant's nutrient deficiency. For example, if nitrogen is deficient, urea should be applied; if phosphorus is deficient, potassium dihydrogen phosphate should be applied. This can effectively prevent yellowing and falling leaves and premature aging in the later stage of the plant.
The above are the key technical points for top-dressing during cotton cultivation. The economic value of growing cotton is very high, because its demand and price in our country are very great. But everyone should pay attention to top-dressing techniques - proper top-dressing can give better impetus to cotton's growth and development, thus achieving the goal of high quality and high yield. That's all for today's introduction; I hope everyone can return with a full harvest.