How to manage cotton during the seedling stage? Key technical points explained in detail

Cotton is a very important crop all over the world, and cotton is the main raw material for various daily necessities such as quilts and cotton clothes. It has a very wide planting area in China, and China is also one of the major cotton-exporting countries. However, many people do not know how to manage it when planting, which leads to planting failure. In fact, management during the cotton seedling stage is very important. So below, let's take a look with the editor at the key technical points for cotton seedling stage management!

1. Ensure a full stand of seedlings

After the cotton seedlings emerge, observe the growth of the seedlings regularly. Where missing seedlings are found, promptly fill in with healthy seedlings of the same growth. When transplanting seedlings, do it as early as possible, because if transplanting is early, the time for the seedlings to recover from transplanting will also be shortened, and the recovery of seedling growth will speed up. If there are no reserved seedlings, but the missing-seedling situation is severe, then sow in time. When sowing, sow appropriately thinly to avoid affecting seed germination.

2. Prevent large and small seedlings

Large and small seedlings are a problem that many friends often encounter during planting. The growth rates of the seedlings differ, and large seedlings bully small seedlings, causing the small seedlings to suffer from poor nutrition and fail to bear fruit. Therefore, when fertilizing, we should adjust the amount according to the size of the seedlings, apply extra fertilizer to the small seedlings to promote their growth, improve their nutrient absorption capacity, and prevent the large seedlings from dominating. This promotes the formation of a good population growth structure for cotton seedlings.

3. Intertillage and loosening the soil

Intertillage and loosening the soil are very important. Intertillage can prevent soil compaction, reduce soil moisture, and lower the incidence of pests and diseases. It raises soil temperature and promotes the growth and development of seedlings. After each rain, intertillage should be carried out once to improve soil permeability and ensure the soil is soft and deep. This promotes root growth, expands the root system, and enhances the roots' ability to absorb nutrients and water. The depth of intertillage must not exceed 10 cm, and it must not be done too many times. It is enough to ensure there are no weeds and the soil is soft.

4. Disease control

In the early seedling stage, because the nutrient absorption capacity of the seedlings is weak and the roots are not well developed, the seedlings are highly susceptible to infection by pathogens during rainy weather. This leads to reduced growth capacity and weaker growth of the seedlings, and in severe cases can cause seedling death. Therefore, we must do a good job in disease prevention and control. The most common ones include anthracnose and damping-off. Prevention should be the main approach. When the temperature fluctuates too much, promptly spray a seedling-strengthening agent to improve the resistance of the seedlings, observe the seedlings regularly, and achieve early detection and early treatment of diseases.

5. Eliminate insect pests

During the seedling stage, in addition to the serious harm caused by diseases, the threat from insect pests is also very great. Moreover, there are many kinds of insect pests, and they damage different parts, so control work will be affected to some extent. Insect pests not only hinder the growth of cotton seedlings, but some also carry pathogens and spread diseases, causing plants to lose their growing points and be unable to bloom and bear fruit. Therefore, we should use corresponding pesticides to control them and avoid unnecessary losses.

The above is a brief introduction to the key technical points for cotton seedling stage management. Cotton has relatively strong growth capacity and relatively high yield. However, poor management during the seedling stage can easily affect the growth of cotton, so everyone must manage it well during the seedling stage to ensure their own economic benefits from planting. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you for reading and supporting.