Nutrient Uptake, Fibre Quality and Productivity of High-Density Cotton as Influenced by Drip Irrigation and Crop Growth Stage Based Fertigation Levels

Abstract:

Cotton is one of the major crop in Telangana. Judicious use of irrigation water coupled with efficient nutrient management is more important to enhance the cotton production. An experiment was conducted at the College farm, College of Agriculture, PJTSAU, Hyderabad, during the 2019 and 2020 kharif seasons to examine the effects of various drip irrigation and fertigation levels on the growth and yield of high-density cotton. The experiment was put up in a three-fold Factorial randomised block design (FRBD). Four fertigation levels (application of 100 percent RDNK in differential dosage as per recommendation [F1], application of 100 percent RDNK in differential dosage as per crop coefficient curve [F2], application of 125 percent RDNK in differential dosage as per recommendation [F3], and application of 125 percent RDNK in differential dosage as per recommendation [F4]) and three irrigation levels (irrigation scheduled at 0.6 [I₁], 0.8 [I₂], and 1.0 [I₃] Epan throughout the crop growth period). During the years 2020 and 2021, irrigation levels had no substantial impact on nutrient uptake, and yield. While the application of 125 percent RDNK in differential dosage as per the crop coefficient curve (F4) resulted in significantly higher nutrient uptake, stalk yield, and seed cotton yield among the fertigation levels. Quality parameters were not influenced by irrigation and fertigation levels.