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Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (36): 43-50.doi: 10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb2025-0242

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Effects of Mulch Drip Irrigation on Growth, Yield, and Water Consumption Characteristics of Cotton in Northern Xinjiang

YU Qiuyue()   

  1. Soil and Water Improvement Experimental Field of Water Resources Department of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Changji, Xinjiang 831101
  • Received:2025-03-31 Revised:2025-08-28 Online:2025-12-25 Published:2025-12-25

Abstract:

This study investigated the effects of irrigation quotas under mulch drip irrigation on cotton growth, water consumption characteristics and yield, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for water saving, yield increase, and efficiency improvement in cotton production in northern Xinjiang. A field experiment was conducted from 2022 to 2024, with four irrigation quotas: 30.0 mm (I20), 37.5 mm (I25), 45.0 mm (I30), and 52.5 mm (I35). The effects of different irrigation quotas on cotton growth, water consumption patterns, and yield were analyzed. The results showed that plant height increased with higher irrigation quotas, reaching the maximum under I30 and I35 treatments. Leaf area index (LAI) and relative chlorophyll content (SPAD) showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, reaching the peak during I30 treatment. The water consumption at each growth stage increased with higher irrigation quotas, and the crop coefficient gradually rose. The seed cotton yield and lint yield showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with the increase of irrigation quota, among them, the yield under I30 treatment was the highest, with average values of 5535.35 kg/hm2 and 2348.42 kg/hm2 respectively. A fitting analysis between water consumption and yield indicated that the optimal water consumption range was 491.93-571.61 mm. A comprehensive evaluation showed that the I30 treatment achieved the highest scores across all three growing seasons. In conclusion, the I30 treatment can achieve optimal cotton yield under drip irrigation in northern Xinjiang. This study provides a theoretical basis for water-saving and high-yield cotton cultivation in the region.

Key words: cotton, mulch drip irrigation, water consumption characteristics, yield, water use efficiency