Abstract

The cotton experiments were conducted at the water-saving irrigation experiment station of Shihezi University at the suburbs of Shihezi City, Xinjiang, China, College of Water & Architectural Engineering, Shihezi University, during 2010–11 by pot, measuring pit and plot experiments in three ways to study the effect of different cultivation patterns on the yield of sub-surface drip irrigated cotton in arid regions. Water shortage has seriously hindered the sustainable development of oasis agriculture in Xinjiang and the whole national economy. Water-saving irrigation occupies a pivotal position in Xinjiang, and can effectively inhibit evaporation, which is especially suitable for application in Xinjiang where evaporation is strong. Drip irrigation, especially that under mulch or in sub-surface, is the first that can simultaneously achieve less irrigation, evaporation suppression and water saving. In this study, three different treatments or cultivation patterns were set up, that is, seedling transplantation without mulch (T), transplantation with mulch (TM) and direct sowing with mulch (SM). And biomass and yield of sub-surface drip irrigated cottons with the above cultivation patterns were compared. The results showed that transplantation without mulch was favourable for root elongation and the increase of root/shoot ratio in length of sub-surface drip irrigated cotton, with intermediate shoot height, root weight, shoot weight, root/shoot ratio in weight and total biomass between those of other two cultivation patterns. Transplantation without mulch was favourable for increasing seed cotton yield and quality of sub-surface drip irrigated cotton. Seed cotton yield increased by 5.18–11.02% and lint percentage rose by 0.19–2.78 in TM compared with that in SM, respectively. There were no pronounced differences between T and TM, and mulch removal did not have a big effect on transplanted cottons with sub-surface drip irrigation. Drip irrigation coupled with the cultivation pattern of transplantation without mulch can bring higher yield and more income for cotton farmers, thus it is suitable for the sustainable development of the cotton planting industry in Xinjiang.