Nitrogen Management in Irrigated Cotton

Two field experiments were conducted in 1989 in Arizona to compare several methods of nitrogen (N) management in Upland and Pima cotton. Standard preplant, preplant plus sidedress, and use of soil and petiole analysis for NO₃⁻-N were the basic methods of N fertilization management compared. A nonfertilized check treatment also was included with the N management treatments, which were arranged in a randomized complete block design in each experiment. Preseason soil samples and a series of in- season petiole samples were taken for all treatments and analyzed for NO₃⁻-N. The concentrations of NO₃⁻-N in the petioles reflected the boll load obtained and the crop fruiting patterns as well as the N fertilization patterns in the respective treatments. Final lint yield analysis revealed distinct differences among the treatments imposed at the Maricopa location but no statistically significant differences at the Safford location