How to grow Dafeng 18 cotton? Detailed explanation of cultivation techniques

Dafeng 18 is a new medium-maturing conventional cotton variety bred by the Dafeng Cotton Foundation Seed Farm, and it passed Jiangsu provincial approval in 2007. The variety has a whole growth period of 131 days, an average plant height of 114.1 cm, 16.4 fruiting branches, 24.6 bolls per plant, a single boll seed cotton weight of 5.8 grams, a large-sample lint percentage of 40.2%, a small-sample lint percentage of 41.3%, a seed index of 10.3 grams, and a pre-frost flower rate of 88.2%. It is resistant to fusarium wilt and susceptible to verticillium wilt. From 2004 to 2005, it participated in the provincial regional trial, with a two-year average seed cotton yield of 246.7 kg per mu, an increase of 13.1% over the control Sumian 9; the lint yield was 99.2 kg per mu, an increase of 11.6% over the control Sumian 9. In the 2006 production trial, the seed cotton yield was 248 kg per mu, an increase of 11.4% over the control Sikang 1 and an increase of 12.1% over the control Sumian 9; the lint yield was 98.8 kg per mu, an increase of 9.7% over the control Sikang 1 and an increase of 8.2% over the control Sumian 9. It is suitable for planting in non-verticillium-wilt areas of our province.

Key points of cultivation techniques: (1) Sow at the right time. Around Qingming, choose a sunny day and sow dry seeds, using nutritional-bowl seedling raising. (2) Reasonable close planting. For high-fertility fields, plant 1500-1800 plants per mu; for medium-fertility fields, plant about 2000 plants per mu; for low-fertility fields, appropriately increase the planting density. For simplified cultivation, plant about 1500 plants per mu, and keep 2 vegetative branches per plant that intersect with the row direction; the vegetative branches should be topped 10-15 days before the main stem (generally around July 20). (3) Scientific fertilization. Apply sufficient organic fertilizer, apply nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrient fertilizers in combination, apply heavy flower-and-boll fertilizer, and supplement with top-covering fertilizer according to plant growth. During the whole growth period, apply 20-25 kg of pure nitrogen, 5-8 kg of phosphorus pentoxide, and 20-25 kg of potassium oxide per mu. (4) Appropriate chemical regulation. Flexibly apply growth regulators such as mepiquat chloride according to the weather; in the seedling stage, focus on promoting growth, and in the middle and late stages, focus on controlling growth. Apply light control before topping and heavy control after topping. (5) Control diseases, pests, and weeds. Carry out timely intertillage and weeding, and apply pesticides for control within the appropriate control period according to the disease and pest forecasts of the local plant protection department.