.cotton-calculator-wrapper {
max-width: 800px;
margin: 0 auto;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 8px;
overflow: hidden;
background-color: #ffffff;
box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}
.calc-header {
background-color: #2c5e2e;
color: white;
padding: 20px;
text-align: center;
}
.calc-header h2 {
margin: 0;
font-size: 24px;
}
.calc-body {
padding: 25px;
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
gap: 20px;
}
.calc-input-group {
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.calc-input-group label {
display: block;
margin-bottom: 5px;
font-weight: 600;
color: #333;
font-size: 14px;
}
.calc-input-group input, .calc-input-group select {
width: 100%;
padding: 10px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 16px;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
.calc-full-width {
grid-column: 1 / -1;
}
.calc-btn {
background-color: #4CAF50;
color: white;
border: none;
padding: 15px;
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: bold;
border-radius: 4px;
cursor: pointer;
width: 100%;
transition: background 0.3s;
}
.calc-btn:hover {
background-color: #3e8e41;
}
.calc-results {
background-color: #f9fbf9;
border-top: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
padding: 25px;
display: none;
}
.result-box {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(200px, 1fr));
gap: 15px;
}
.result-item {
background: white;
padding: 15px;
border-radius: 6px;
border: 1px solid #ddd;
text-align: center;
}
.result-label {
font-size: 13px;
color: #666;
text-transform: uppercase;
letter-spacing: 0.5px;
}
.result-value {
font-size: 24px;
font-weight: 700;
color: #2c5e2e;
margin-top: 5px;
}
.calc-article {
max-width: 800px;
margin: 40px auto;
padding: 0 20px;
color: #333;
line-height: 1.6;
}
.calc-article h2 {
color: #2c5e2e;
margin-top: 30px;
}
.calc-article ul {
background: #f5f5f5;
padding: 20px 40px;
border-radius: 8px;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
.calc-body {
grid-template-columns: 1fr;
}
}
function calculateCottonSeeding() {
// Get Inputs
var targetPop = parseFloat(document.getElementById('targetPopulation').value);
var rowWidth = parseFloat(document.getElementById('rowWidth').value);
var establishment = parseFloat(document.getElementById('estEstablishment').value);
var seedsPerLb = parseFloat(document.getElementById('seedCount').value);
// Validation
if (isNaN(targetPop) || targetPop <= 0 || isNaN(rowWidth) || rowWidth <= 0 || isNaN(establishment) || establishment 0) {
weightPerAcre = requiredSeedingRate / seedsPerLb;
weightText = weightPerAcre.toFixed(1);
}
// Display Results
document.getElementById('resSeedingRate').innerText = Math.round(requiredSeedingRate).toLocaleString();
document.getElementById('resSeedsPerFoot').innerText = seedsPerFoot.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('resSpacing').innerText = spacingInches.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('resWeight').innerText = weightText;
// Show result section
document.getElementById('resultSection').style.display = 'block';
}
Optimizing Cotton Yields with Precise Seeding Rates
Calculating the correct cotton seeding rate is one of the most critical management decisions a producer makes before planting. Unlike corn or soybeans, cotton has a unique growth habit that allows it to compensate for lower plant populations to a degree, but establishing an optimal stand is vital for maximizing yield potential, minimizing weed pressure, and ensuring timely maturity.
How to Use This Calculator
This tool helps agronomy professionals and farmers determine the exact planter settings required to achieve a target final stand. Here is a breakdown of the inputs required:
- Target Final Stand: This is the number of healthy plants you want remaining in the field at harvest. Typical targets range from 30,000 to 45,000 plants per acre, depending on irrigation, soil type, and variety.
- Row Width: The distance between your planter rows in inches. Common configurations include 30″, 38″, and 40″.
- Expected Establishment %: This is a crucial variable. It is not just the warm germination test result on the seed tag. You must account for field loss due to cold shock, crusting, or seedling disease. If your seed tag says 90% germination, but field conditions are less than ideal, you might estimate an establishment rate of 75-80%.
- Seed Size (Seeds/lb): Cotton seed size varies significantly by variety. Knowing the seeds per pound allows you to calculate the poundage required per acre, which is essential for budgeting and logistical planning.
The Logic Behind the Formulas
To determine how many seeds to drop, we work backward from the desired outcome. The core formula used in this calculator is:
Seeding Rate = Target Population / (Establishment Percentage / 100)
Once the total seeds per acre is determined, the calculator converts this into a linear metric (seeds per foot of row) based on the row spacing. Wider rows result in fewer linear feet of row per acre (43,560 sq ft), requiring a higher density of seeds within the row to achieve the same population per acre.
Example: If you plant on 38-inch rows and target 40,000 plants with 85% survival, you need to plant approximately 47,000 seeds per acre. This translates to roughly 3.4 seeds per foot of row, or a seed drop every 3.5 inches.
Economic Considerations
With the rising cost of transgenic cotton traits and seed treatments, over-seeding is a direct hit to profitability. Conversely, under-seeding can lead to "skippy" stands, delayed maturity, and difficulty managing harvest. Using a precise calculation tailored to your specific germination rates and row widths ensures you are not wasting seed while giving the crop the best start possible.