Evaluation of a Foliar Applied Seed Bed Calcium Soil Conditioner in in Irrigated Cotton Production System

Abstract

A multi-site experiment was conducted at Paloma Ranch, west of Gila Bend in Maricopa County and at Wellton in Yuma County Arizona. NuCotn 33B was dry planted and watered-up on 28 April 1998. Various rates of application of nitrogen (N) and calcium (Ca) from CN-9 [9-0-0-11Ca (5Ca(NO₃)₂•NH₄NO₃•10H₂O)] was used to evaluate the check. The CN-9 was applied as a foliar application directly to the seed bed on 27 April 1998. Treatment 1 was the check plot that received no CN-9. Treatment 2 received a 12 gal./acre application of CN-9 while treatment 3 received a 15 gal./acre application of CN-9. Each gal of CN-9 weighs approx. 12.2 lbs. and contains 1.1 lbs. of N and 1.4 lbs. of Ca. Treatment 2 received a total of 13 N/acre while treatment 3 received a total of 17 N/acre via CN-9. Treatment 1 received only farm standard applications of UAN-32. Treatments 2 and 3 each received farm standard applications of UAN-32 after the application of CN-9 for continued crop N needs. A total of 17 lbs./acre of Ca was applied to treatment 2 and 21 lbs./acre of Ca was applied to treatment 3. No significant differences were found among the various treatments in terms of plant growth, soil water content, ECₑ values, and sodium absorption ratios. Lint yields were not significantly different (P<0.05).