Analysis of Cotton Crop Nutrition: Nitrogen and Water for Yield

This essay examines the critical role of nitrogen and water management in cotton crop nutrition for achieving optimal yields. It discusses the impact of nitrogen fertilization on root development, photosynthesis, and overall plant growth, emphasizing the importance of balanced application to avoid deficiencies or excesses that can negatively affect fiber quality and environmental sustainability. The essay also explores water-use efficiency strategies, such as narrow row planting and ground cover techniques, to maximize plant transpiration and reduce soil evaporation. By integrating efficient nitrogen and water management practices, cultivators can enhance cotton production while minimizing environmental impact and production costs. Desklib offers further resources and solved assignments for students studying agricultural science and crop management.

Cotton Crop Nutrition 1
Cotton Crop Nutrition
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Cotton Crop Nutrition 2
Cotton has turned into one of the world’s most wanted crops. It is the primary source of natural
textile fiber in the world. Around the world, plenty of cotton is cultivated. There are nearly 50
different countries with cotton crops. The crop grows well in tropical and temperate regions.
When it comes to quality, there are two major types of cotton species. This includes G
barbadense and G hirsutum. Cotton cultivation strongly depends on the use of Nitrogen (N)
fertilization. Regions with plenty of nitrogen can contribute exhaustively to the production of
cotton. The yield and growth of cotton crops depends strongly on the amount of nitrogen in soil.
This is why nitrogen-based fertilizers are applied in and around cotton cultivation sites. The
amount of nitrogen used differs from one to another. And, several techniques are used while
spreading nitrogen in soil. All these methods are capable of handling the fertilizer’s high cost and
rapid rate of consumption. The consumption of nitrogen fertilizers has increased from 2 to 13
percent in the past few years. To be more precise, 19.3 million tones of fertilizer is used by
cotton crops worldwide. What makes nitrogen special is that the application of these fertilizers
doesn’t cause any issues due to excessive or deficient usage.
However, studies reveal that problems economical and environmental concerns should be taken
care off! Also, cultivators should be careful with the amount of nitrogen used. Traditionally,
farmers spread nitrogen fertilizers in three different stages: pre-planting, the first bloom and peak
bloom. Nitrogen volumes that can increase yield depend on the region, cultivators and soil
variety. There are plenty of studies to reduce the use of nitrogen fertilizers and yet not
compromise on yield. These studies focus on nitrogen allocation, the use of enzymes and
metabolic pathways that can change soil and improve crop yield.

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Using Nitrogen for Higher Cotton Yield
The use of nitrogen has direct impacts on cotton yield. There are well known inhibitory effects.
Though the use of nitrogen did not have an effect on average root length density, there was
significant difference in the total root surface area and length. As the amount of nitrogen
increased, the overall root surface area increased! This increased the total number of soil layers.
More nitrogen creates a mutually beneficial environment for plants. The element can trigger
vigorous leaf functionalities. As a result, more photo products are generated to encourage better
root absorption.
Nitrogen is extremely important for photosynthesis and canopy area growth. With the right
amount of nitrogen, plant growth will become rapid and better! There will a greater number of
healthy leaves to encourage photosynthetic capacity. This in return would improve the crops’
reproductive powers. Meanwhile, low percentage of nitrogen can stop or slow-down leaf
development. Crops that are nitrogen deficient will have fewer leaves. This means, plant growth,
amount of photosynthesis and the formation of sugars for maturation decreases. Good nitrogen
levels can encourage vegetative growth; whereas low amounts of nitrogen can destroy crops,
difficulty in cultivation and late maturity.
The use of nitrogen fertilizers has a direct impact on the rate of plant growth, fiber quality and
lint yields. As mentioned previously, high percentage of nitrogen is required to maximize yield.
Unfortunately, this can increase the chances of nitrogen leaching and production costs.
Cultivators are expected to handle the amount of nitrogen in soil carefully. They should make
sure the right amount of nitrogen is used at the right time! For high yields, the application of
nitrogen has to be broken into several splits. First, 30% of fertilization has to be done during the
pre-plant phase. Next, 40% of fertilization should be done for the first bloom and the rest must

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be applied during the peak bloom stage. Some studies (Yang et al) states that the split ratio
should be 0%, 40% and 60% for peak harvest.
However, cultivators should be aware of the fact that the amount of nitrogen applied is bound to
increase. This can increase costs rapidly. The estimated efficient of regions with nitrogen ranges
between 30 and 70 percent. So, everything else can be deeded as a loss. To take care of energy
efficiency and improve crop production, the amount of nitrogen used during cultivation should
be optimized! “Nitrogen use efficiency” is quite difficult to determine. Two major components
control nitrogen efficiency: the rate of absorption and the amount of nitrogen used to produce
better crops. Siddiqui et al, Gerloff et al defined nitrogen utilization efficiency as a ratio between
nitrogen concentration and total plant dry mass. Few other nitrogen utilization efficiency
formulas are defined by researchers too. Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency is necessary in
predicting the amount of fertilizer to be used. It is important to predict NUE for any kind of
agricultural system. Cultivators should maintain nitrogen utilization efficiency to balance inputs
and outputs without experienced any losses at environmental or economic level. Cotton crops are
likely to differ with respect to Nitrogen Utilization efficiency. It usually depends on
environmental and agronomic conditions, along with genetic traits. Cotton cropping systems
should improve the ratio between input and output by ensuring that more nitrogen is taken in
from the soil and very little is lost. In most cotton cropping systems, the volume of inorganic and
organic nitrogen has reached a saturation point. The percentage of nitrogen in soil is changing
very slowly. If nitrogen is not absorbed from the soil, it means there is leaching, denitrification
or volatilization happening. In such situations, the overall nitrogen utilization efficiency of the
crops should include the amount of inorganic and organic nitrogen pools to make sure nitrogen
recovery efficiency is relatively high.

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Also, cotton crop yield depends on the type of nitrogen fertilizer. There are several different
types of nitrogen fertilizers in the market. Cultivators should select the right kind of fertilizer for
high yields. The right kind of fertilizer would reduce the risks of denitrification or volatilization.
Common nitrogen fertilizers for cotton crops are ammonium sulfate, anhydrous ammonia,
ammonium nitrate and urea. These fertilizers prove to be efficient and cost effective.
Cotton crops need to accumulate at least 250 to 300 kg N/ha to reach high yields. At least half of
nitrogen would be used during this season. And, most of this nitrogen is obtained from the soil
and not from fertilizers. Around 33% of the nitrogen applied is recovered, around 25% remains
on the top surface of the soil and the rest gets washed from the system. Research proves that
excess and deficiency of nitrogen can have negative impact on plant growth, especially cotton
crops. The final yield is likely to fluctuate based on the amount of nitrogen in the system. For
example, nitrogen deficiency will reduce total biomass and leaf area. It can reduce fiber quality
too. On the other hand, excess nitrogen can trigger vegetative growth and result in bigger leaf
structures. Larger leaves mean more surface area for photosynthesis. Thus, the energy for
reproductive development gets re-directed to vegetative proliferation! Some cotton crops remain
incapable of producing necessary reproductive development during harvest seasons too. Cotton
crops are not capable of absorbing excess nitrogen from soil. Extra nitrogen leaches away
slowly. This can result in ground water contamination. The best way to rectify such issues is by
verifying the amount of nitrogen cotton crops require. Cultivators must make use of Nitrogen
Usage Efficiency values while deciding on what their cotton crops really require.
Picking nitrogen rates for cotton crop cultivation depends on soil type. Critical factors include
climate, production, crop management methods and soil management strategies. When it comes
to maximum economic outcomes, the market value received from cotton crops and the cost of

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nitrogen fertilizer should be considered. Due to various chemical factors, the influence of
nitrogen as it is capable of volatilization, denitrification and leaching – is quite difficult to
predict. Soil has to be tested carefully to make sure the right amount of nitrogen is used.
Nitrogen can be applied in various split applications that eventually result in higher nitrogen
usage efficiency. Just like nitrogen rates, cultivators must be cautious of nitrogen timing! Timing
has critical effects on nitrogen usage efficiency. Since nitrogen fertilization is done in three
different stages that correspond to pre-plant application, first bloom and peak bloom application.
The first application should happen before nitrogen gets transformed into various absorbable
forms. However, this stage can increase the risks of nitrogen losses (especially if there are
unexpected temperature variations). Most cotton crop seedlings do not need excess nitrogen by
the end of autumn. Heavy application during this season can result in delayed fruiting and excess
vegetative growth. Application of nitrogen at first bloom should happen 40 to 45 days after
emergence. During this stage, nutrient uptake is really quick. Indeed, boll maturation, flower
production and boll filling are times when there is heavy demand for nitrogen. The final
application of nitrogen should happen two weeks after the first bloom. The fertilizer has to be
provided until maturity. However, excess nitrogen during this season can result in rapid
vegetative growth. Meanwhile, the soil has to be tested to understand more about nitrogen
timing, rate and fertilizer types. These tests are important to reduce the cost of production and to
improve overall nitrogen utilization efficiency.
Maximizing Cotton Production through Better Water Usage
[1][2]
Research proves that cotton production systems can be made efficient with maximized water-use
efficiency. When compared to conventional areas with average cotton yields, places with better

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water management systems have better yields. These systems use water efficiently and prevent
loss through free soil evaporation. These systems have special irrigation schedules to handle the
flow of water based on the water requirements of cotton crops. These systems have special
nutrient management and evapotranspiration management methods too. These methods make
sure maximum nitrogen is absorbed by the cotton crops. To reach a goal of 50 pounds of lint for
every inch of water, you need 5 pounds of nitrogen. This amount of nitrogen is required to make
sure water is used efficiently too! Likewise, cultivators must take into consideration proper
management strategies that can increase yields within all possible environmental conditions.
Water management strategies play a very important role in cotton crop cultivation. In the midst
of high evaporative conditions, the ultimate goal of any water management strategy should be to
maximize plant transpiration and reduce soil evaporation. Only a fixed percentage of water than
seeps through the plant has the chance of increasing crop production.
Cultivators follow two basic techniques to increase plant
transpiration and reduce soil evaporation.
1) Modern cultivators plant narrower rows of cotton crops. Row spacing depends on soil
type. There are several different types of soil. From loamy fine sands to clay loans, there
are several soil types to consider. Most of these soils have generated yields that range
between 10 and 20 percent. When compared against traditional rows, narrow rows can
generate better cotton crop yields. The advantage of narrow rows is seen across different
varieties of water supplies. However, narrow rows proved the need for summer rainfall to
ensure high crop production. Meanwhile, narrower rows increased the chances of canopy
closure. It reduced evaporation of soil and made sure water supply was partitioned

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efficiently to all the cotton crops. This results in better and greater cotton crop yields with
the same amount of water.
2) Ground cover plays a key role in cotton production too. Wheat that is sown in autumn
(after cotton harvesting) terminates between April and May. Cotton gets planted on
standing residue. Terminated wheat forms ground cover to eradicate the risks of wind
erosion. As wheat deteriorates, young cotton seedlings are naturally protected from
blowing sand and wind. The straw cuts down the amount of energy that reaches the soil
surface. In return, this reduces the chances of soil evaporation by improving wind
resistance.
The only question cultivators should answer here would be how much water is necessary to
handle ground cover? According to estimates, at least 3 to 5 inches of water is required. These
conditions should be maintained for a considerable amount of time to make sure desired yields
are reached.
Irrigation management is a long term process. It is necessary for cultivators to evaluate their
cotton varieties and choose the right kind of irrigation methods. Indeed, soil has to be prepared
with the right kind of beds and water systems too. Plants should be spaced properly, provided
with water at the right hours and managed by experts who are aware of cotton crop cultivation!
The entire process has to be managed by cotton growers who are aware of planting
configurations.
Conclusion [3]
There are several challenges in improving cotton crop cultivation and protecting the
environment. Almost all cotton crop nutritionists are pondering on how to improve the overall

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quality of plants! NUE is a key factor that helps in understanding, monitoring and improving
cotton-based crops! NUE is undeniably a multi-genic quality. It comes with regulatory elements
and signaling targets. Manipulating genes and various regulatory elements can improve the
overall NUE figure of cotton crops. Indeed, plenty of approaches have been taken to improve
NUE. For instance, precision application and plant sensing techniques are two major methods.
Recent cotton field trials and simulations have helped in nitrogen management too. These
strategies have reduced the need for technological constraints. As a result, nitrogen gets managed
properly and cotton crop yield increases for cultivators. Agronomic management of the cotton
crop fields should be considered as primitive ones that can affect NUE. If yield is considered as
an important farming or cotton crop commodity, nitrogen fertilizers will be extremely important.
Improvements of NUE should be heralded by all cultivators (especially if the price of nitrogen
fertilizers rises in these energy-short days). Moreover, the quality of cotton fibers depends on
nitrogen. Crops that were subject to nitrogen treatments saw high quality fibers. There was an
increase in fiber length, micronaire and strength.
On the other hand, cultivators (to a very small extent) associated row spacing to plant growth in
very small levels! With reference to plant mapping information, earliness was not improved by
ultra-narrow rows of cotton crops. Cotton that grew in ultra-narrow rows had very little bolls
when compared to crops that were grown in 101-cm rows. However, lint yields are similar
between both production methods. This is because there is higher plant population in both
traditional and ultra-narrow rows. Row spacing is believed to have very little impact on the 2nd
year of a 3 year study.
This concludes this study with proof that cotton crops need the right amount of nitrogen and
water for growth. Row spacing helps in cotton crop cultivation to a considerable extent. It is

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believed that adequate amount of nitrogen can improve the quality of cotton crops too. However,
the results will be seen in the long run. It may take at least two years for high quality cotton
crops to be harvested. During these days, nitrogen fertilizers must be applied on the soil. The
application has to be broken into periodic and carefully defined stages.
References
1. Read, J.J., Reddy, K.R, & Jenkins, J.N. 2005. Yield and fiber quality of Upland cotton as
influenced by nitrogen and potassium nutrition. Europ. J. Agronomy, 24(2006), 282-290

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2. Nichols, S.P., Snipes, C.E., & Jones, M.A. 2004. Cotton Growth, Lint Yield, and Fiber
Quality as Affected by Row Spacing and Cultivar. The Journal of Cotton Science, 8(1-
2).
3. Yang, G., Tang, H., Nie, Y., Zhang, X. 2011. Responses of cotton growth, yield, and
biomass to nitrogen split application ratio. European Journal of Agronomy, 35(3), 164-
170.