Effects of Different Row Spacing on Boll Formation and Yield and Quality of Mulching Cotton

【Objective】 To study the effects of different row spacing on the occurrence of reproductive organs, yield and spatial distribution of cotton bolls under the cultivation technique without plastic film mulching in the hope of providing the basis for screening the reasonable row spacing arrangement of plastic-free cotton in southern Xinjiang. 【Method】 In this study, Zhong 619 and Xinluzhong 82 were used as experimental materials, and the width of 2.28 m was taken as the standard. One picture with three lines (76 cm+76 cm), four lines (76 cm+10 cm+76 cm) and six lines (10 cm+66 cm+10 cm+66 cm+10 cm) were set up. 【Result】 The occurrence probability of the whole reproductive organs at each fruit branch and node of cotton was the highest under the pattern of one picture with four lines. The physiological reproduction of Zhong 619 and Xin 82 were at the same level under a three-row cultivation mode. There were 12.8 bolls per plant and 2.608 g lint per boll in a four-row plot, and the yield (6,259.8 kg/hm²) was not significantly different from that in a six-row plot (6,748.3 kg/hm²) of the same variety. From bolling to autumn peach period, the overall spatial distribution of cotton bolls increased at first and then decreased. With the increase of cotton rows, the distribution of cotton bolls changed from outward extension to inward concentration in horizontal position, and the spatial distribution of cotton bolls appeared "lower void". In the vertical direction, cotton withering shifted from the fallen fruit branch to the second fruit node of the middle fruit branch of cotton plant, and the number of budding and flowering of cotton decreased. 【Conclusion】 Under the conventional planting row spacing configuration of cotton in southern Xinjiang, Zhong 619 has more bolls in four rows per picture, lower shedding rate and stable yield, and its index is superior to Xinluzhong 82, which shows the best comprehensive performance.