Effects of nitrogen fertigation frequency on yield and nitrogen retention in drip-irrigated cotton

ABSTRACT

Fertigation techniques have been widely used in drip-irrigated cotton. The timing of nitrogen (N) fertilizer injections then becomes a management question producers need guidance on. This study investigated the effect of nitrogen (N) fertigation frequency on drip-irrigated cotton. Experiments were conducted in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey in 2011 and 2012. A split-plot experimental design was applied. The main plots contained two different lateral spaces: A, one drip-line (lateral) per row; and B, one lateral for every two rows. Sub-plots were designed with different frequencies of fertigation as follows: a, the application of fixed amount of N at each irrigation cycle (5 days); b, the application of fixed amount of N every two irrigation cycles (10 days); and c, the application of one-fifth of the total N between the first irrigation and first flowering, two-fifths between the first flowering and formation of the first boll, and one-fifth between the formation of the first boll and last irrigation cycle. One-fifth of the total N was applied to the soil at sowing in all treatment regimens. The maximum cotton yield (4120 kg ha⁻¹) and highest total N content (2.57–2.94%) in the leaves were obtained with one lateral for every two rows and the application of fixed amount of N every two irrigation cycles (10 days). One-fifth of the total N might be applied to the soil at sowing, and the remaining N should be applied in equal doses (an average of 7 fertigations) every two irrigation cycles (10 days) by fertigation. However, further research fertigation methods for cotton, including the amount of N that needs to be applied and the use of different injection systems, is required.

KEYWORDS:

• Cotton
• drip irrigation
• fertigation frequency
• nitrogen

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Funding

This study was a part of the research project (10-ZF-166) carried out from 2011 to 2012 at the Experimental Station of Agricultural Faculty, Dicle University (Diyarbakir, Turkey). In addition, this research project was supported by the Dicle University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Office.