Mulch Application and Plant Spacing Influence on Growth Traits, Pests, Insects and Weeds in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Varieties

Abstract

Cotton is a sensitive crop for the agronomic practices. Therefore, in this experiment two levels of wheat straw mulch (0 and 4.2 t ha -1 ) and two different plant spacing (25 and 35 cm), applied on three cotton varieties; Lachata, Coker 310 and Stoneville 213 which were to investigate growth traits and also controlling of weeds, pests, insects and diseases. Thus, the results showed that Lachata variety required fewest days from planting to 50 % flowering and boll opening that were 57.83 and 145.66 days respectively. While, lowest and highest height of first fruiting branch were recorded by Coker 310 and Stoneville 213 (11.55 and 13.13 cm), respectively. In addition, the interaction of factors also was significantly affected NODF and HFFB such as in V2S1M1 by (68.33 days and 13.73 cm). The treatments applied by wheat straw mulch have more vigorous cotton plants and less infected by weeds, insect, pests and diseases as compared to no mulch. The researchers must conduct more experiments to determine the effect of straw mulch on growth of cotton by using different rates.