Comparison of Twin and Single Line Cotton Production Systems

Abstract

Twin line (two seed lines 7.25 in apart per bed) and conventional single seed line per bed cotton production systems were compared at 18 sites across Arizona and the Palo Verde Valley near Blythe, Ca. in 2002 and 9 sites in 2003. Three experiments at the Chaffin site in 2002 compared twin line plant populations of 57,000 (57K), 75,000 (75K), and 90,000 (90K) plants per acre (ppa). In 2002, the twin line system produced more lint than the conventional single line system at 4 of 18 locations; the yields of the twin line and single line systems were 1273 and 1186 lb/acre, 1572 and 1461 lb/acre, 1478 and 1290 lb/acre, and 1309 and 1210 lb/acre, respectively, at the Grasty, Ramona, Rovey, and Wells sites, respectively. In 2003, none of the experiments resulted in higher twin line system lint yields. In 2002, there were no significant differences in yield or fiber micronaire in 7 of the 18 experiments. In 2003, there were no significant differences in yield in 3 of the 9 experiments. In 2002, the twin line system produced less lint than the conventional system at 5 of 18 locations; yields of the twin line and single line systems were 2019 and 2189 lb/acre, 1400 and 1489 lb/acre, 1537 and 1845 lb/acre, 1065 and 1200 lb/acre, and 1271 and 1431 lb/acre, respectively, at the Chaffin (75K), Cooley, Hull, Papago, and Wakimoto sites, respectively. In 2003, the twin line system resulted in less yield in 6 of the 9 experiments; yields of the twin line and single line systems were 1154 and 1285 lb./acre, 1906 and 2109 lb./acre, 1797 and 1938 lb./acre, 878 and 1114 lb./acre, 726 and 821 lb./acre, and 1230 and 1404 lb./acre, respectively, at the Hull, Marlatt 1, 2,, 3, Murphy Late Plant, and the University of Arizona (UA) Marana Agricultural Center sites respectively. In 2002, fiber micronaire was reduced in five experiments; the micronaire values were 4.25 and 4.73, 4.46 and 4.78, 4.60 and 4.85, 4.76 and 4.98, and 4.93 and 5.15, in the twin line and single line systems, respectively, at the Rogers, Papago, Grasty, Hull, and Perry sites, respectively. In 2003, there were no significant differences in fiber micronaire at all 9 test locations. In 2003, visual observations suggested that the spindle pickers were unable to effectively harvest bolls the lowest bolls primarily below the cross-over point of the two2 mainstems cross in the twin line system. Hand harvest comparisons of the twin and single line system resulted in yields of 1776 and 1661 lb./acre respectively, a 6% difference at the Maricopa Agricultural Center. It was concluded that tThe inability to effectively harvest the twin line cotton is the most significant system problem with this production system.