TITLE:
Statistical Study: Nature Relationship between Climatic Variables Prevailing Prior to Flowering or Subsequent to Boll Setting and Cotton Production
AUTHORS:
Zakaria M. Sawan
KEYWORDS:
Cotton Flower and Boll Production, Boll Retention, Evaporation, Relative Humidity, Sunshine Duration, Temperature
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Science,
Vol.6 No.8,
April
28,
2014
ABSTRACT: This study investigates the
statistical relationship between climatic variables and aspects of cotton
production (G. barbadense), and the effects of climatic factors
prevailing prior to flowering or subsequent to boll setting on flower and boll
production and retention in cotton. The effects of specific climatic factors
during both pre- and post-anthesis periods on boll production and retention are
mostly unknown. Thus, an understanding of these relationships may help physiologists
to determine control mechanisms of production in cotton plants. Evaporation,
sunshine duration, relative humidity, surface soil temperature at 1800 h, and
maximum air temperature, are the important climatic factors that significantly
affect flower and boll production. The least important variables were found to
be surface soil temperature at 0600 h and minimum temperature. There was a
negative correlation between flower and boll production and either evaporation
or sunshine duration, while that correlation with minimum relative humidity was
positive. Higher minimum relative humidity, short period of sunshine duration,
and low temperatures enhanced flower and boll formation.