Cotton fiber quality responses to tillage, irrigation, and plant density

Understanding how management practices interact with environmental conditions is critical for stabilizing cotton yield and fiber quality. A 2‑year field study (2024–2025) assessed the effects of tillage (conventional tillage [CT]; no‑till [NT]), irrigation regime (all‑row irrigation [ARI]; skip‑row irrigation [SRI]), and planting density (7, 10, and 13 plants m − 2 ) on cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield and fiber quality. Year had the strongest influence on fiber quality, with 2025 producing fibers that were significantly longer (+2%), stronger (+3%), more uniform (+1%), but with poorer color grade (+12%) compared to 2024. Irrigation affected micronaire and color, as SRI reduced micronaire by 5%. NT increased seed cotton yield by 19%. Plant density influenced fiber quality through interactions; for example, plant density had an irrigation × plant density interaction for color grade. Overall, despite strong seasonal effects, context‑dependent interactions among tillage, irrigation, and planting density indicated that management could contribute to fiber quality variation across years.