Fertility Management and Calibration Evaluations on Upland and Pima Cotton

Numerous field experiments were conducted during the 1997 through 1999 cotton seasons involving macro and micronutrient fertilization. The purpose of these experiments was to evaluate University of Arizona (UA) fertility guidelines with respect to soil test results and to possibly fine-tune or better calibrate these guidelines for common Arizona soils and cotton growing regimes. Field experiments studied the effects of a single nutrient or nutrient combinations on both Upland and Pima varieties. Results from these experiments, based on soil test information, quantitative plant measurements, and lint yield showed no significant difference due to treatments for all sites except for a phosphorus study conducted during the 1998 season in Graham County and a phosphorus study conducted during the 1999 season in Pinal County. All results reinforce current UA soil testing guidelines for cotton