An Investigation on comparison of nitrogen usage efficiency of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. ) for drip and furrow irrigation methods

This study was conducted to determine effect of applications of 4, 8, 12, and 16 kg/da of N on watered with drip irrigation and application of 16 kg/da of N on watered with furrow irrigation methods on two cotton cultivar's yield and fiber quality, was arranged in randomized complete blocks design with four replications at the experimental areas of Cotton Research and Application Center during the 2000 and 2001 growing seasons. Cukurova-1518 variety was found have superior genetic potential for seed cotton yield, plant height, number of bolls per plant, seed cotton weight per boll, seed index, number of carpels per boll, boll weight and earliness over Adana-98, whereas Adana-98 was found have superior genetic potential for ginning outturn, carpel percentage, number of monopodial branches, fiber fineness, fiber strength, fiber length, fiber uniformity, short fiber index and fiber elongation over Cukurova-1518. Seed cotton yield, number of bolls per plant, ginning outturn, seed index and number of monopodial brunches were increased with drip irrigation and applications of 8 and 12 kg/da of N, these increments were due to the increase in the plant's nitrogen usage efficiency caused by drip irrigation; and treatments caused no significant differences in fiber quality characteristics. Key Words: Cotton, furrow irrigation, drip irrigation, N rate II