Package for improving cotton production in the state

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Package for improving cotton production in the
state
Dr P. L. Nehra Professor( Agronomy) Agricultural
Research Station Sriganganagar
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Varieties Recommended varieties will be grown as
usual but it was felt that RG-8, Raj DH-9 (Desi
hybrid), RS-810 and RS-875 should cover large
area, so as to avoid incidence of CLCV. The
variety RST-9 may be grown, where incidence of
CLCV was less. Further more Bt hybrids namely
MRCH-6025 Bt, MRCH-6304 Bt, RCH-134 Bt, RCH-314
Bt, JKCH-1947 Bt and NCEH-6 Bt have also been
reported better performance in the State (based
on interim package), therefore committee members
felt that these hybrids may be given chance to
grow in the State.
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Crop Diversification Looking to the cotton crop
condition for the last few years, the committee
members also felt that at list 30-40 of the area
should cover the less water requiring crops like
Guar, Bajra (hybrid), Moong (SML-668), Moth and
Til etc. Whereas the rest 60-70 for cotton.
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Crop Production

• Deep ploughing should be done for cotton
  cultivation.
• The sowing should be completed by 20th May and
  for this, the State Government should insure
  Canal water supply during the sowing period.
• The following seed rate and spacing should be
  used for different varieties and hybrids.

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   Well decomposed FYM _at_ 8 and 10 t/ha.
should be used and incorporated in the soil at
least 20-25 days earlier in Gang Canal and IGNP
area, respectively. Before the sowing of cotton
with full P2O5 as basal and 50 recommended dose
of nitrogen in two equal splits i. e. 25 at the
time of sowing and remaining 25 at first
irrigation, so as to encourage the 50 use of
organic manure and 50 use of inorganic manure.
The fertilizer dose kg/ha. should be used for
different varieties and Bt hybrids as follows.  
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• Drip irrigation to cotton (LHH 144) at 1.0 ETc
  increased 24.2 per cent seed cotton yield,
  improved the quality of cotton lint and decreased
  the incidence of whitefly and spotted bollworm in
  comparison to recommended flood irrigation

• Fertigation to cotton (LHH 144) with recommended
  dose of N and K in six splits increased 49.8 per
  cent seed cotton yield, improved quality of
  cotton lint and decreased incidence of whitefly
  and spotted bollworm in comparison to recommended
  flood irrigation

• Paired planting (60x60x120cm) was found superior
  over normal planting (60x90 cm)

• Drip irrigation saved 35 per cent irrigation
  water and the cost of the system may be met out
  within two seasons

       I.      Excessive irrigation should be
avoided. In case of RST-9 first irrigation may be
prolonged upto 50 days.
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• For the effective control of weeds in the cotton
  Pendimethalin _at_ 1.0 kg a.i./ha or Trifluralin _at_
  1.5 kg a.i./ha should be applied as pre planting
  and followed by one hand weeding at 35 DAS.
• To check the shedding of fruiting bodies NAA _at_ 10
  ppm may be used.
• To check the unwanted vegetative growth of cotton
  Lihocin (cycocel) _at_ 50 ppm may be used at 90 DAS
  or depending upon the nature of the variety used.

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• Crop protection
• In managing insect and pest it was decided that
  50 use of bioagents (viz. NSKE -5, Trichoderma
  etc. and 50 use of insecticide/ pesticide)
  should be popularized among farmers.
• Monitoring and mass trapping of adults of pink,
  spotted and American bollworms through sex
  pheromone traps proved effective in controlling
  the population level of the pests in the cotton
  field. So installation of pheromone traps at the
  time of square initiation is recommended.
• Timely availability of pheromone traps should be
  ensured to the cultivator.
• Earias insulana and Earias vitella these two
  species of spotted bollworms are prevalent in the
  area therefore, pheromone traps of these two
  species may be insured.
• Hand picking of eggs, larva and damage shoots of
  the plant should be done at regular interval.

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• Bioagent (Trichoderma spp. And chrysoperla spp.
  )should be available to the farmers at the peak
  activity of the pest.
• NPV applied _at_ 450 LE/ha. either alone or in
  combination with Endosulphan or Chloropyriphos in
  the evening hours is effective for controlling
  the early star of the Heliothis species.
• Neem botanics _at_ 2-5 ml/ liter of water based on
  ppm may be used for suppressing the population of
  insect pest in general and white fly in
  particular.
• For chemical control ETL values given for the key
  pest may be strictly followed so as to reduce the
  pesticidal load.
• Use of Monocrotophos, Acephate and synthetic
  pyrithroids should be discouraged whereas
  Chloropyriphos, Endosulphsn, Thiadicarb
  Trizophos, Indoxacarb and Spinosad enchouraged.
  Mixing of insecticides should strictly be
  discouraged.
• Three rows of bajra maize cowpea should be
  planted around cotton field to attract birds for
  predation and conservation of natural enemies of
  insect pest.
• Root rot intensity may be reduced by application
  of Zinc sulphate _at_ 24 kg/ha. in the soil before
  sowing and the cotton seed treated with either
  Emisan (0.1) or Bavistin (0.2). Further more,
  local isolate Trichoderma used _at_ 4 g /kg seed
  proves effective in keeping the disease spread
  under check.

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• The use of susceptible varieties/ hybrids should
  be treated with Imidaclorpid to check the
  incidence of sucking pest at an early stage.
• Cotton seed soaked either with Streptocycline
  (0.1 g ) or Plantomycine (10 g) in 10 litre of
  water and sown early in the crop season gives
  better control of bacterial blight.
• Sowing of CLCV susceptible varieties should be
  discouraged in and around cotton fields.
• Cultivation of bhindi be discouraged in and
  around cotton fields.
• The CLCV should be managed by the removal of its
  alternate weed hosts like pilibuti, kangibuti
  etc.
• Whitefly be controlled by spraying Dimethoate 30
  EC and Methyl dematone 25 EC _at_ 1.0 litre/ha at
  low population and Trizophos _at_ 1.5 litre/ha and
  Ethion 2.0 litre/ha at high population of
  whitefly.

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THANKS