HUBEI AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES ›› 2026, Vol. 65 ›› Issue (9): 12-16.doi: 10.14088/j.cnki.issn0439-8114.2026.09.003

• Breeding & Cultivation • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of planting patterns on cotton growth, yield formation and fiber quality under different drought stresses

HOU Hui-jie1, JI Chun-rong2, SUN Shuai3, PENG JING-ting1, HU Hao-nan1, WU Si-yi4, YANG Ming-feng1   

  1. 1. Wulanwusu Agrometeorological Experimental Station, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China;
    2. Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Climate Center, Urumqi 830000, China;
    3. Urumqi Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Urumqi 830000, China;
    4. Shihezi Meteorological Bureau, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2026-06-18 Online:2026-09-25 Published:2026-09-17

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Abstract: To investigate the effects of planting patterns on cotton growth, yield formation and fiber quality under different drought-stress conditions, the dominant cotton cultivar Xinluzao 78 in arid regions of Xinjiang was used as experimental material. A two-factor split-plot experimental design was adopted, with drought stress as the main-plot factor and planting pattern as the sub-plot factor. Three water treatments, including well-watered condition (W1), moderate drought (W2) and severe drought (W3), and two planting patterns of “wide-row, early-maturing and optimal-management” (M1) and “dense-planting, dwarf-cultivation and early-maturing” (M2) were set up. The influences of planting patterns on cotton growth, yield formation and fiber quality under different drought stresses were systematically analyzed. The results showed that drought stress, planting pattern and their interaction exerted significant (P<0.05) or extremely significant (P<0.01) effects on plant height, stem diameter, number of fruiting branches, dry matter accumulation, boll number per plant, single boll weight, lint yield, lint percent and fiber quality of cotton. Overall, plant height, stem diameter, fruiting branch number, dry matter weight, yield, lint percent and fiber quality decreased with the aggravation of drought stress. Under identical drought conditions, M1 exhibited significantly higher plant height, fruiting branch number, boll number per plant, single boll weight and lint yield than M2, with the lint yield increased by 13.96% under W2. Meanwhile, cotton under M1 had a lower micronaire value, yet higher breaking tenacity, upper-half mean length and length uniformity index compared with M2, indicating better fiber quality. Comprehensive analysis demonstrated that the “wide-row, early-maturing and optimal-management” planting pattern could effectively alleviate the adverse impacts of drought stress on cotton growth, yield formation and fiber quality, which was more suitable for popularization and application in cotton production in arid regions of Xinjiang.

Key words: cotton, drought stress, planting patterns, growth traits, yield, fiber quality

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