Soil:
Cotton needs a soil with a excellent water holding
capacity and aeration and good drainage as it
cannot withstand excessive moisture and water
logging. The major group of soil for cotton
cultivation are the alluvial soils, black soils,
and red sand loam.
Seed
Rate and Spacing: Depending upon the
variety, soil type, the cultivation on practices
and method of sowing, seed rates and spacing
have been recommended.
A seed rate of 15-25 kg/hectare and spacing of 75-90
cm between the rows are generally recommended
for irrigated conditions. For dryland cotton,
seedrate of 12-16 kg/hectare and spacing 45-60 cm
between rows are adopted. For Dryland American
Cotton, seedrate is 12-16 kg and spacing is 60-75
cm between the rows.
Optimum
sowing time: Sowing of crops depends
upon water resources and varies from region
to region. If irrigation facilities are available
the crop should be sown pre-monsoon, especially
american cottons, otherwise it must be sown
just after the monsoon begins. Sowing in rows
can be done either by drilling, dibbling, or
placing the seeds in furrows behind the ploughs.
Fertilizers:
fertilizer application differs from country
to country depending upon available nutrients
in the soil. For dryland cotton crop, 20 kg
of nitrogen, 18 kg of phosphorus and 78 kg potash
is economical. Nitrogen is applied in split
doses, half dose at the time of sowing and other
half as top dressing during thinning or just
before flowering. For irrigated cotton this dose can be doubled.
Water
Requirement: The irrigated cotton crop
is mostly sown after a preliminary heavy irrigation
and second light irrigation is given three to
four weeks after germination. Subsequent watering
depends upon the nature of the soil and the
weather conditions.
Flowering and boll formation are the critical
stages with regard to irrigation. Inadequate
irrigation schedule during these stages leads
to a heavy shedding of flower buds and bolls.
Generally cotton crop needs 6-8 irrigations
and 600-800 mm of water during its lifetime.
Cultivation
Practices: Before sowing, the soil
is ploughed, loosened and harrowed to make soil
suitable for cultivation.
Interculture:
Weed control begins 30-40 days after sowing.
thinning of cotton is a special feature of the
irrigated crop.
Diseases
and Pests: Cotton aphids, Cotton jassids
are controlled by spraying Malathion 0.08%.
Cotton leaf roller, Spotted boll worm, pink
boll worm are controlled by dusting crop with
10% carbonyl whereas red cotton bug and dusky
cotton bug are controlled by dusting 5% BHC
Optimum
Harvesting Time: Cotton is harvested
in three or more pickings with suitable intervals.
The season of harvesting varies with of sowing and
duration of variety. Well dried bolls are picked either manually
or through harvesters.
