Climatic Factors: Evaporation, Sunshine, Relative Humidity, Soil and Air Temperature and Cotton Production

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of climatic factors (namely, evaporation, sunshine, relative humidity, soil temperature, and air temperature) on flower and boll production and retention in cotton (Gossypium barbadense). Also, this study investigated the relationship between climatic factors and production of flowers and bolls obtained during the development periods of the flowering and boll stage, and to determine the most representative period corresponding to the overall crop pattern. 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. Temperature appeared to be less important in the reproduction growth stage of cotton in Egypt than evaporation (water stress), sunshine duration and minimum relative humidity. These findings concur with those of other researchers except for the importance of temperature. A possible reason for that contradiction is that the effects of evaporation rate and relative humidity were not taken into consideration in the research studies conducted by other researchers in other countries.