Temperature Gradient in the Canopy and Effects on Cotton Bolls

Higher than optimal temperature, especially during reproductive growth, affects cotton development and yields. Additionally, the excepted scenario of increasing global temperatures is considered a threat for crop productivity and may emphasize the need for understanding cotton responses to high temperature. One of the principal problems about research in this area is that ambient temperatures are used to evaluate effects on yields, while actual temperatures in the canopy where bolls develop may be different. The influence of canopy microclimate on boll growth and, consequently, on seed and fiber yield is not known. It is hypothesized that leaf, boll, and air temperatures within the canopy are better correlated with boll growth and yield than ambient air temperature. Field experiments were performed during summer 2014, and data are being analyzed.