Productive characteristics and water use efficiency in cotton plants under different irrigation strategies

Studies have been carried out on efficient water use in irrigation. The present study evaluates the yield of cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum L. r. latifolium Hutch), and the use of water for different irrigation strategies. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions, and the cultivar used was CNPA-7H Precocious grown in plastic pots; each pot contained 20 kg of dry soil. The irrigation strategies were selected by taking into account the available water in the soil, the irrigation frequency and the irrigation suppression during flowering and boll development. Water consumption, boll weight, yield, harvest index and water use efficiency were evaluated and the results showed that water consumption resulting from the irrigation strategies used brought expressive variations in the studied parameters. In all strategies, irrigation suppression was the decisive factor in evaluating the water use efficiency.