Design and Implementation of a Rainfed Matrix Protocol for the Study of Rainfed Cotton Production

We will report the design and implementation of a rainfed matrix protocol to investigate the environmental interactions for rainfed cotton production on the southern high plains of Texas. The rainfed matrix consists of a series of 7 sequential plantings of cotton at 2-week intervals within the interval between the last lethal freeze of the winter/spring and the first lethal freeze of the fall/winter. Each of the plantings is provided with a series of simulated rain events based on a 10-year rain history for the location. There are 4 rain simulation protocols, each with a different seasonal total, applied to each of the 7 sequential plantings. The overall result is a total of 28 cotton crops with differing rain/environment conditions for each.  This approach provides a means to increase the range of environments that can be investigated within a single season.