Comparison of Twin and Single Line Cotton Production Systems

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