Intercropping insect-resistant cotton with potatoes: both crops can achieve high yields

In recent years, the model of intercropping potatoes with insect-resistant cotton has been welcomed by the people. According to surveys, this model not only enables cotton to achieve high yields (lint yield of 90-100 kg per mu), but also "freely" yields an extra 1500-2000 kg of potatoes per mu. The key cultivation techniques are as follows.

I. Potatoes ① Seed selection and sprouting. It is advisable to choose early-maturing, short-stalked, high-yielding virus-free varieties, such as Holland No. 7, Jinyin No. 8, etc., using 80-90 kg of seed potatoes per mu. In mid-February, cut the seed potatoes into pieces (each kg cut into 40-50 pieces) and use a sunny cold frame or greenhouse for sprouting. After about 25 days, when the sprouts grow to 2-3 cm, plant them. ② Land preparation and fertilization. From late February to early March, irrigate to build soil moisture and prepare the land, applying 2-5 cubic meters of farmyard manure, 25-30 kg of potassium sulfate, 20 kg of diammonium phosphate, 15 kg of urea, and 3 kg of multi-element micro-fertilizer per mu. ③ Furrowing and sowing. Around the Awakening of Insects to the Spring Equinox, when the temperature stabilizes at 7°C, sow: first open sowing furrows with a wide row spacing of 1.2 m and a narrow row spacing of 0.3-0.4 m, apply chemical fertilizer in the furrows and mix it evenly with the soil, then place seed potato pieces at a plant spacing of 22-25 cm, with a density of 3500-3800 plants per mu. After sowing, build soil into ridges (7-12 cm high, 60-70 cm wide), spray herbicides such as trifluralin and butralin, and then cover with plastic film. ④ Scientific management. When seedlings emerge, promptly break the film to release the seedlings. In mid-April, water once in a timely manner to promote plant growth, which also builds good soil moisture for cotton sowing. At the bud stage, spray 100 mg/kg of paclobutrazol to prevent excessive vegetative growth. After that, water 2-3 times with "tuber-promoting water" to promote tuber expansion. Pay attention to timely control of aphids, mites, etc.

II. Insect-resistant cotton ① Seed selection. Relatively ideal varieties include SGK321, Xinmian 33B, etc. ② Ridging and intertillage. After the potatoes are watered for plant growth, promptly carry out intertillage in the reserved wide rows and cover with soil to form a low turtle-back-shaped ridge. ③ Sowing. Around April 20, sow two rows of cotton on the ridge in holes with a row spacing of 40-50 cm and a plant spacing of 20-25 cm, then spray herbicide and cover with plastic film. ④ Field management. After emergence, promptly break the film to guide out the seedlings, thin them, and set the final stand, with 3300-4000 plants per mu. After the potatoes are harvested, turn their stems and leaves into the soil as green manure. After removing the film in late June, apply 10 kg each of urea and diammonium phosphate per mu along with watering. Other management is the same as for general cotton fields.