Growing conditions and Nutritional requirements of Bt. Cotton
Cotton is one of the important commercial crop cultivated in India and cotton fibre is an essential raw material for the textile industry, and since cultivation or growing has to be taken up by the farmers, it can contribute more for the agriculture economy.
Cotton crop is hardy in nature and it is cultivated as both irrigated and rainfed crop. Gossypium arboreum, G.herbaceum, G.hirsutum and G.barbadense are the known cultivated cotton species grown globally and among these Gossypium hirsutum occupies 90 % of total cotton production.
Gossypium arboreum, Gossypium herbaceum,
Gossypium hirsutum Gossypium barbadense
Some of the Bollgard II Bt cotton varieties are listed below and to find more Click here
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Sl.No. |
Trade Name |
Suppliers or producers |
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1 |
Dhaanya |
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2 |
Ajeet |
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3 |
Pravardhan |
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4 |
Kaveri |
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5 |
Rasi |
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6 |
Mahyco |
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7 |
Seed works |
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8 |
Nuziveedu |
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9 |
Bioseed |
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10 |
Crystal |
Soil and Climate Requirements
Well drained deep alluvial black clayey soils, red mixed black soils are suitable for cotton crop to grow well. Cotton plants are slightly tolerate to the saline soils and very sensitive the water logged conditions.
Cotton is tropical and sub-tropical crop which requires minimum temperature of 150 C for better germination. The optimum temperature for vegetative growth is around 210 C – 27 0 C and cotton crop can tolerate up to 43 0 C but the temperatures lesser than 21 0 C will kill the plants.
Season suitability
In India two cotton growing seasons, early season in northern India and delayed cultivation in south Indian states. Normally the cotton is Khariff crop in many of the places like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and parts of Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka.
Cotton is cultivated as irrigated crop from March and from onset of monsoons the rain fed cotton cultivation commences in June –July. In case of the Tamil Nadu the cotton sowing usually happens from September to November as Tamil Nadu depends on North East monsoons. In some districts of Tamil Nadu the cotton sowing goes up to November. Summer sowings also taken in some parts of Tamil Nadu during February – March under irrigated conditions.
Land preparation
Land should be ploughed to proper fine tilth, levelled for easy draining of any excess water due to rains. Irrigation water supplying need to be planned well in advance to provide during any odd situations.
Farm yard manure about 10 to 12 tonnes fortified with 4-5 litres of biofertilisers must be applied 15 – 20 days before sowing. The farm yard manure with biofertilisers will help the cotton plants in better growth, crop development and increase yields by increasing nutrient use efficiency in all ways.
Nutrients Management
Bt Cotton crop has performed better at 80 kg Nitrogen, 35 kg Phosphorous and 35 kg potassium may be considered as the recommended dose for the Bt cotton crop per acre.
The application schedules and split applications details are informed in the table.
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Basal Application |
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Single super Phosphate [SSP] – 100 kg |
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Di-Ammonium Phosphate [DAP] – 50 kg |
Mix DAP with V-Hume Plus 500 mL per 50 kg which promotes the fast root growth |
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Muriate of Potash [MOP] – 25 Kg |
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Urea 45 kg |
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Sulphur granules 10 kg |
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Magnesium Sulphate 25 kg |
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Micronutrient Mixture 10 kg |
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Second application 40 - 50 days after sowing |
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Urea 45 kg |
Mix Gibrax Phytozyme 1 litre for 45 kg of Urea which helps cotton plants for better flowering |
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Magnesium Sulphate 25 kg |
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Calcium Nitrate 15 kg |
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Muriate of Potash [MOP] – 25 Kg |
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Third application 80- 90 days after sowing |
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Urea 45 kg or Ammonium Sulphate 100 kg |
Mix Multiplex Kranti 1 litre for 45 kg of Urea which helps to improve the cotton fibre quality |
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Muriate of Potash [MOP] – 50 Kg |
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Potassium Nitrate 10 kg |
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Major Nutrient Products for Cotton cultivation
Secondary and Micro-nutrient products for Cotton Soil Application
Plant growth promoter products for Cotton as soil application along with fertilisers
Next Blog: Diseases of cotton and their management
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K SANJEEVA REDDY,
Senior Agronomist, BigHaat.
For more information kindly call on 8050797979 or give missed call on 180030002434 during office hours 10 AM to 5 PM
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Disclaimer: The performance of the product (s) is subject to usage as per manufacturer guidelines. Read enclosed leaflet of the product(s) carefully before use. The use of this product(s)/ information is at the discretion of user.
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