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Cotton is prone to premature aging during the dog days, so growers should be on guard

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Once cotton shows premature aging, remedial measures are of little use, and prevention is what matters. Early August is the peak period of cotton flowering and boll setting; if vegetative growth and reproductive growth are well coordinated, premature aging is unlikely. The earlier premature aging occurs, the more severe the yield loss. In severe years, some fields show premature aging in mid-to-late August. How to prevent cotton premature aging and increase yield is an urgent problem in cotton production. Below are several measures to prevent cotton premature aging. Pay attention to the watering method. Summer drought causes cotton premature aging, so if there is no rain during the dog days, water promptly. Alternate-furrow irrigation is preferable,

Once cotton shows premature aging, remedial measures are of little use, and prevention is what matters. Early August is the peak period of cotton flowering and boll setting; if vegetative growth and reproductive growth are well coordinated, premature aging is unlikely. The earlier premature aging occurs, the more severe the yield loss. In severe years, some fields show premature aging in mid-to-late August. How to prevent cotton premature aging and increase yield is an urgent problem in cotton production. Below are several measures to prevent cotton premature aging.

Pay attention to the watering method. Summer drought causes cotton premature aging, so if there is no rain during the dog days, water promptly. Alternate-furrow irrigation is preferable, and flood irrigation must be avoided. In terms of pruning, for cotton fields that may show premature aging, stop fine pruning after August begins and keep some superfluous buds to ensure the cotton field has enough vegetative organs for photosynthesis.

After topping, spray foliar fertilizer immediately, once every 8-10 days, nitrogen first and then potassium, and continue spraying until August 10-15. Once fertilizer deficiency occurs, it is very difficult to achieve autumn bolls covering the top. Spraying quick-acting potassium fertilizer twice at full rate in the later stage is very important for setting more bolls and larger bolls on the upper part and for boll opening and fiber quality. Potassium is indispensable for cotton fiber development, so applying potassium can increase lint percentage. In years with heavy rainfall during the dog days, especially for low-lying cotton fields, potassium spraying is even more necessary. After the end of July, it can also be combined with pest control, spraying once every 7-10 days with 2-3% urea plus 0.2% monopotassium phosphate. If rain occurs during the dog days, cultivate in time to break up soil crusting so as to favor root growth. Do not cultivate too deeply, to avoid damaging the roots.

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