The newly developed 15-inch row picker by the Cotton Division of John Deere Des Moines Works brought renewed interest in narrow-row planting in cotton. Narrow-row planting results in more rapid canopy closing thus offering the opportunity for improving the use efficiency of radiation and water of crops through increased plant transpiration: soil evaporation ratio and solar radiation interception by the canopy. Because of this, narrow planting would lead to yield increases, although this outcome woulddepend on soil water availability and on the timeliness of rainfall events. Two studies were conducted at a commercial farm in Sodville, San Patricio County, Texas to compare the yield performance of cotton planted in narrow rows vs. conventional row spacing. The first study was conducted in 2003 and was designed to evaluate the yield responses of FM 989 BR to conventional 38-inch row spacing and double-row spacing (double rows 12-inch apart spaced 38 inches between centers). Both configurations were planted at equal plant population per unit area. The second study was conducted in 2004 to evaluated yield responses also of FM 989 BR to 15-inch narrow rows planted at four different seeding rates and conventional 30-inch and 38-inch row spacing plantedat normal seeding rates. In both years, narrow-row configurations produced higher yields than conventional spacing, 13% higher in 2003 and 18 to 26% higher in 2004.
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