Fu et al. (2026) Coupling effects of drip irrigation frequency and nitrogen rate on the growth, development, and economic benefits of Sea Island cotton in Southern Xinjiang

Identification

• Journal: Agricultural Water Management
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-06-30
• Authors: Qiuping Fu, Zhiduo Dong, Yang Pan, Wenzheng Tang, Yingjie Ma, Tong Qi, Pingan Jiang, Quanjiu Wang
• DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110573

Research Groups

• College of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University
• Xinjiang Future Irrigation District Engineering Technology Research Center
• Center for Agricultural Water Research in China, China Agricultural University
• Institute of Agricultural Resource and Environment, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences
• HuBei YiDu XiongDu Electrical Company Limited
• Henan Small Watershed Ecological Water Conservancy Engineering Technology Research Center
• Hydraulic Engineering College, Yellow River Conservancy Technical University
• State Key Laboratory of Water Engineering Ecology and Environment in Arid Area, Xian University of Technology

Short Summary

This study investigated the interactive effects of irrigation frequency and nitrogen rate on Sea Island cotton growth, development, and economic benefits. The results showed that a combination of moderate irrigation frequency (F5) and nitrogen rate (N85) optimized yield components and resource use efficiency.

Objective

• Investigate the synergistic effects of drip irrigation frequency and nitrogen rate on Sea Island cotton productivity and fiber quality.
• Identify the dominant regulatory factors and their underlying pathways for optimizing water and nutrient management in arid regions.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Field-scale experiments were conducted in southern Xinjiang, China.
• Temporal Scale: The study spanned two growing seasons (2022–2023).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) and ternary trade-off analysis were integrated to quantify yield formation pathways and multi-objective balance among water productivity, partial factor productivity of nitrogen, and economic benefit.
• Data sources: Field measurements, including plant growth parameters, nitrogen content, yield, and fiber quality attributes.

Main Results

• The F5N85 combination increased seed cotton yield by 7.26%-8.77% over the conventional benchmark while maintaining premium fiber quality.
• PLS-PM indicated that reproductive nitrogen accumulation at the boll opening stage was the strongest statistical associate of yield.
• Ternary evaluation coupled with TOPSIS confirmed that F5N85 achieved the most balanced multi-objective performance across both seasons.

Contributions

• This study provides mechanistic insights and practical guidance for precision fertigation in resource-constrained arid regions.
• The results highlight the importance of optimizing irrigation frequency and nitrogen rate to achieve high yield and fiber quality.

Funding

• National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52109249)
• Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Science and Technology Plan Project (Grant No. 2022AB01146)
• Key Research and Development Program of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Grant No. 2021AB01013)

Citation

@article{Fu2026Coupling,
  author = {Fu, Qiuping and Dong, Zhiduo and Pan, Yang and Tang, Wenzheng and Ma, Yingjie and Qi, Tong and Jiang, Pingan and Wang, Quanjiu},
  title = {Coupling effects of drip irrigation frequency and nitrogen rate on the growth, development, and economic benefits of Sea Island cotton in Southern Xinjiang},
  journal = {Agricultural Water Management},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110573},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110573}
}