One of the most significant revenue crops grown for fiber is cotton. It grows best on black cotton soil in warm, humid environmental conditions and is commonly known as "white gold." Learn how to plant cotton crops in this post to boost the output of your farms. 🌾🌞🌱
Cotton Crop at a Glance
Botanical Name: Gossypium spp.
Common Name: Kapaas (Hindi), Kapaha (Punjabi), Paruthi (Tamil), Paruthi (Malayalam), Pathi (Telugu).
Crop Season: Kharif and Rabi season
Crop type: Cash crop
Soil Requirements
You may plant cotton in a variety of soil types, from medium to heavy soils. The best soil type for the development of cotton crops is black cotton soil. Furthermore, it can stand a pH between 5.5 and 8.5. 🌱🏞️
Climatic Requirements
Environments that are hot and humid are favorable for cotton crop growth. Maintaining the proper temperature is essential for successful cotton growing. Cotton grows best in climates with a temperature range of 21 to 27°C and 500 to 700 mm of yearly precipitation. 🌡️☔
Package of Practices for Cotton
Land preparation for Cotton
A mould board plough should be used to completely till the cotton-growing soil to a depth of 15 to 20 cm, followed by two or three harrowings. For improved crop establishment, no stubbles should be left on the field, and watering prior to planting is crucial. 🚜🌾💧
Sowing time
The timing of cotton planting varies depending on the season:
- Kharif irrigated: April to May
- Kharif rainfed: June to July
- Hybrids: July to August
- Rabi Season: September to October
- Summer season: February to March
Seed rate and Spacing
In general, cotton seeds should be sown in lines as follows
|
Species |
Seed Rate (kg/ha) |
Spacing (cm) |
|
Gossypium hirsutum |
12 to 15 |
60 cm × 30 cm |
|
Desi cotton |
8 to 12 |
60 cm × 15 cm |
|
Hybrids |
2 to 4 |
120 cm × 60 cm |
Seed Treatment
Sulphuric acid treatment of cotton seeds at a rate of 100 ml/kg of seed is necessary for the production of productive cotton harvests. The delinted seed and the fuzz burns should be completely rinsed in water and dried with the shade. 🌱🧪💧
Irrigation Schedule
When planting cotton, waterlogging circumstances should be avoided. The squaring stage, flowering stage, and boll development stage are the irrigation phases that are most important in cotton farming. For improved crop growth and development, 2-3 and 6-7 irrigations should generally be planned for the kharif and rabi seasons, respectively. ☔🌾💦
Manures and Fertilizers
Fertilizer should be applied based on the results of a soil test to reduce excessive fertilizer use and increase the profitability of the cotton plantation. For hybrids and American cotton, it is advised to apply the available N, P, and K at rates of 120:60:60 kg/ha. Apply 40:20:20 kg N, P2O5, and K2O per hectare in a balanced ratio when sowing Desi cotton. 🌾🌿💩
Inter-cultivation Practices
The first 50 to 60 days following cotton planting are the most important for crop weed competition. For effective weed control in cotton farms, it is advised to apply Targa Super (Quizalofop ethyl 5% EC) at 400 ml/acre pre-emergence and Hitweed (Pyrithiobac Sodium 10% EC) at 1 ml/L of water post-emergence to control narrow-leaved grasses. 🌱🚜🌿🔥
Crop Protection (Pests and Diseases)
Pests of Cotton
|
Insect |
Scientfic Name |
Symptoms |
Management |
|
Helicoverpa armigera |
|
|
|
|
Pectinophora gossypiella |
|
|
|
|
Spodoptera litura |
|
|
Harvesting 🌾👷♂️
Cotton is frequently hand harvested once the crop has reached maturity. Since the cotton crop does not mature synchronously, the bolls should be harvested as soon as they are fully matured in the morning. In irrigated ecosystems, the yield of cotton typically ranges between 2 and 3 t/ha and 3.5 to 4 t/ha for hybrids. 🛒🌞🌱
Varieties/Hybrids of Cotton
🌱🌾 Desi cotton: Aravind, Sri Nandi, Yaganti, Kanchan, Krishna, LK 861, Digvijay American cotton: F-320, Laxmi, F-414 Hybrids: H-4, Savitha, Surya, DCH 32, Om Shankar
