What factor can limit cotton emergence?

Excess moisture is a significant factor that can limit cotton emergence because it can create waterlogged conditions in the soil. When the soil is overly saturated, the oxygen levels in the root zone are reduced, which is essential for seed germination and seedling growth. Seeds require a certain balance of moisture — enough to activate the germination process without drowning or smothering the developing plant. In addition to hindering oxygen availability, excessive moisture can lead to plant diseases such as root rot, further impacting the cotton crop's ability to establish properly.

While high temperatures, low humidity, and soil compaction can also impact cotton emergence, they do so in different ways. High temperatures can cause stress and potentially harm germination rates, but they typically do not create the immediate drowning effect that excess moisture can impose. Low humidity can affect germination by leading to increased evaporation, but it is less directly limiting than excess moisture. Soil compaction can hinder root growth and affect moisture retention but does not directly impede the physiological processes of germination as much as waterlogged conditions do. Thus, excess moisture emerges as a critical factor limiting cotton emergence.