Evaluation of Supplemental Nitrogen Applications in Deltapine® Brand Cotton Products at the Bayer Learning Center, Scott, MS (2023)

January 30, 2024

TRIAL OBJECTIVE

Cotton yields have greatly increased, which has led to many fields having fertility deficiency symptoms.
Growers often ask if applying mid-season supplemental nitrogen (N) would be beneficial.
Understanding that N is an important macronutrient involved in many plant processes, including energy transport, vegetative development, and oil production, the Bayer Learning Center at Scott, MS decided to evaluate mid-season N applications in 2023.

First nitrogen application
- Single application
  - 8 node growth stage.
  - Surface applied.
  - 96 lb actual N applied as 30-0-0-2.5 (N-P-K-S).
- 150 lb ammonium sulfate (AMS) applied at mid bloom, equivalent to:
  - 31.4 lb actual N
  - 36.0 lb actual Sulfur (S)
All field work, tillage, and herbicides were per local standards.
Deltapine® Brand Products Planted
- DP 2211 B3TXF (Bollgard^® 3 ThryvOn™ Cotton with XtendFlex^® Technology)
- DP 2317 B3TXF (Bollgard^® 3 ThryvOn™ Cotton with XtendFlex^® Technology)
- DP 2127 B3XF (Bollgard^® 3 XtendFlex^® cotton)
- DP 2328 B3TXF (Bollgard^® 3 ThryvOn™ Cotton with XtendFlex^® Technology)
- DP 2333 B3XF (Bollgard^® 3 XtendFlex^® cotton)
Plot Design
- 4 replications.
- Randomized complete block.
- Split plot design.
- 12 rows per product, 145 feet long.
Field was potentially high yielding.
- This could be viewed as the optimal case to supplement fertility.
Data collected:
- Machine harvested to determine seed cotton/acre yields.
- Site turnouts used to estimate lint yields/acre.

Product Performance
- The five Deltapine® brand products were statistically similar in lint yield per acre (Figure 1).
- No statistical change in lint yield was observed with the supplemental AMS application (Figure 2).
- No interaction between cotton product and AMS Application was detected in the data (Figure 3).

Figure 1. Average lint yield (lb/acre) for the five Deltapine® Brand cotton products with and without supplemental AMS.

Figure 2. Average lint yield (lb/acre) of the five Deltapine® Brand cotton products with supplemental AMS and without.

Figure 3. Average lint yield (lb/acre) of each Deltapine® Brand cotton product with supplemental AMS and without.

In this trial, several of the newest Deltapine^® brand cotton products demonstrated similar yield performance to the standards tested.
No response to supplemental nitrogen (N) applications was observed in this study.
There may be situations where cotton crops would respond positively to supplemental N (thinner soils, flushed/denitrified fertilizers, weaker background fertility).
Growers should evaluate each specific case using previous experience, soil testing, and consultation with trusted advisors.
Please contact your local Deltapine^® brand representative for more information.

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