Subsoil pH Effects on Growth and Yield of Cotton1

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Abstract
Shallow root systems sometimes occur as a result of excessive acidity in the subsoil. So field studies were conducted to determine the effects of subsoil pH on growth and yield of unirrigated and irrigated cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) grown on a Rhodic Paleudult and to determine if normal yields could be obtained with a shallow root system when adequate water was supplied in the surface soil by frequent irrigations. The pH ranged from 4.4 to 6.2 in the 15 to 30‐cm soil depth. Subsoil pH of about 5.0 appeared to be the critical point for affecting root growth and yield on unirrigated cotton. Root growth was deep and yields were normal above 5.0, whereas rooting depth and seed cotton yield were progressively reduced with decreasing pH below 5.0. The reduced seed cotton yields, resulting from shallow root systems on acid subsoils, were overcome by frequent irrigation of the surface soil. Rooting depth and pattern were not affected by the irrigation.

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