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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Florence, South Carolina » Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #410746
Research Project: Advancing Cotton Genetics and Innovative Cropping Systems for Improved Quality and Production

Location: Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research

Title: Exploring 65 years of progress in cotton nutrient uptake, efficiency and partitioning in the USA

Author
item SINGH, J - Auburn University
item GAMBLE, A - Auburn University
item BROWN, S - Auburn University
item Campbell, Benjamin - Todd
item Jenkins, Johnie
item KOEBERNICK, J - Auburn University
item BARTLEY, P - Auburn University
item SANZ-SAEZ, A - Auburn University

Submitted to: Field Crops Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/11/2023
Publication Date: 11/18/2023
Citation: Singh, J., Gamble, A.V., Brown, S., Campbell, B.T., Jenkins, J.N., Koebernick, J., Bartley, P.C., Sanz-Saez, A. 2023. Exploring 65 years of progress in cotton nutrient uptake, efficiency and partitioning in the USA. Field Crops Research. 305. Article 109189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2023.109189.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2023.109189

Interpretive Summary: Modern cotton cultivars have undergone significant advancements in genetics and management practices, resulting in improved lint yield production. However, there is a need to re-evaluate nutrient uptake potentials and requirements in modern cultivars as the existing research primarily dates back to the early 1990s. The objective of this study was to evaluate the change in nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency and yield of 20 cotton cultivars released in the USA from 1953 to 2018. The study found that cotton biomass improved 4.3 times faster than lint yield over the past 65 years of breeding. The total nutrient uptake and internal use efficiency were significantly different among cultivar with consistent increase was noticed for the 20 cotton cultivars released between 1953 and 2018. Nutrient concentration in vegetative growth either decreased or remained unchanged over time, while nutrient concentration in seed increased. Furthermore, it was observed that partitioning of total assimilated nutrients into different biomass components especially N, P, and K has not consistently changed over the years. The findings indicate that modern cotton cultivars have shown an increase in total nutrient uptake but with a slower improvement in nutrient use efficiency. The limited changes observed in the partitioning of N, P, and K towards reproductive organs, along with the increased concentration of nutrients in the seed, highlight the potential for further enhancing nutrient partitioning strategies. Considering the current nutrient uptake and use efficiency, optimizing nutrient recommendations is essential for achieving further increases in lint yield.

Technical Abstract: Modern cotton cultivars have undergone significant advancements in genetics and management practices, resulting in improved lint yield production. However, there is a need to re-evaluate nutrient uptake potentials and requirements in modern cultivars as the existing research primarily dates back to the early 1990s. The objective of this study was to evaluate the change in nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency and yield of 20 cotton cultivars released in the USA from 1953 to 2018. The study found that cotton biomass improved 4.3 times faster than lint yield over the past 65 years of breeding. The total nutrient uptake and internal use efficiency were significantly different among cultivar with consistent increase was noticed for the 20 cotton cultivars released between 1953 and 2018. Nutrient concentration in vegetative growth either decreased or remained unchanged over time, while nutrient concentration in seed increased. Furthermore, it was observed that partitioning of total assimilated nutrients into different biomass components especially N, P, and K has not consistently changed over the years. The findings indicate that modern cotton cultivars have shown an increase in total nutrient uptake but with a slower improvement in nutrient use efficiency. The limited changes observed in the partitioning of N, P, and K towards reproductive organs, along with the increased concentration of nutrients in the seed, highlight the potential for further enhancing nutrient partitioning strategies. Considering the current nutrient uptake and use efficiency, optimizing nutrient recommendations is essential for achieving further increases in lint yield.