Evaluation of methods of crop establishment for enhancing the productivity and resource-use efficiency of diversified Bt. cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)-based cropping systems
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Date
2017
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DIVISION OF AGRONOMY ICAR-INDIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE NEW DELHI
Abstract
A field experiment entitled“Evaluation of methods of crop establishment for enhancing
the productivity and resource-use efficiency of diversified Bt. cotton (Gossypium
hirsutum L.)-based cropping systems”was conducted during rainy (kharif), winter
(rabi) and summer seasons of 2014−15 and 2015−16 at Research Farm of Division of
Agronomy, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi with the objectives:(i) to
compare the direct sowing and transplanting of Bt.cotton for productivity and resource
use efficiency under different planting density (ii) to find out suitable technique for
raising of cotton seedlings and nutrient requirement of transplanted Bt. cotton under
different planting density (iii) to compare diversified Bt.cotton-based cropping systems
for productivity, energetic, economics and soil health. In the first experiment, 2 methods
of cotton establishment (transplanting and direct sowing) and 3 planting geometry/plant
density {(90 × 60 cm (18,518 plants/ha); 75 × 45 cm (29,629 plants/ha) and 60 × 45 cm
(37,037 plants/ha)} assigned to main plots and 4 cropping systems {(Direct seeded
cotton−wheat; (Transplanted cotton−wheat−mungbean); (Direct seeded cotton−onion);
(Transplanted cotton− onion− fodder cowpea+maize)}assigned to sub plots of 4 times
replicated split plot design. In the second experiment, combination of 2 nursery raising
techniques (seedling grown in poly glass and seedling grown in proy tray)and 3 planting
density{ 18,518 (90 × 60 cm), 29,629(75 × 45 cm) and 37,037 (60 × 45 cm) plants/ha}
were kept in main–plots, while nutrients levels { RD of NPK (150 kg N, 60 kg P2O5 and
60 kg K2O/ha), 125 percent of RD of NPK and 150 percent of RD of NPK)} were
allotted in sub–plots. The results of experiment-I revealed that germination percentage
of cotton seeds was 96.5 percent under nursery raised for transplanting, which was
significantly higher than the germination percentage (80.8%) recorded under direct
sowing. Germinated seedlings mortality over the two seasons was also markedly higher
under direct sowing (14.2%) as compared to nursery raised for transplanting (3.2%).
Final plant stand- indicated 19.2 percent reduction in plant population over expected
plant stand based on planting geometry under direct sowing, while this reduction in plant
population was less than 4.2 percent in transplanted cotton. Growth and yield attributes
recorded perceptible decrease under transplanting as compared to direct sowing,
however, average seed cotton yield (2.54 t/ha) was 10.9 percent higher under
transplanting as compared to direct sowing, due to lower plant stand of direct sown
cotton. Among the planting geometries/plant densities, significantly the highest seed
cotton yield (2.82 t/ha) was recorded with 60 × 45 cm spacing (37,037 plants/ ha) during
both the seasons and yield declined markedly with decrease in plant density.NPK uptake
recorded significant increase with increase in plant density during both the year and
significantly the highest NPK-uptake in seed, lint and stalk was recorded with 60 × 45
cm planting geometry. On an average, water productivity of transplanted cotton(2.55 kg
seed cotton/m3
of water) was three to four times higher that of direct sowing (0.71 kg
seed cotton/m3
of water).Increase in plant population improved water–use efficiency and
water productivity significantly with highest average values (1.93kg seed cotton/m3
of
water) was recorded with 60 × 45 cm spacing (37,037 plants/ha during both the
seasons.Transplanted cotton showed slightly higher values of economic parameters than
direct sown cotton during both the seasons.On an average, increase in net returns with
plant density 60 × 45 cm (37,037 plants/ha) was 18,800 /ha over plant density of
29,629 plants/ha and 24,900 /ha over plant density 18,518 plants/ha
respectively.System productivity in terms of seed cotton equivalent yield (SCEY) was
found significant due to methods of cotton establishment based cropping system. Among
the cropping systems, transplanted cotton−onion−fodder cowpea+maize recorded
significantly the highest average system productivity (8.95 t/ha) followed by direct
seeded cotton−onion (7.10 t/ha), transplanted cotton- wheat- mungbean (4.76 t/ha) and
direct seeded cotton−wheat (3.76 t/ha) respectively. On an average, system productivity
recorded with 60×45cm spacing of cotton (37037plants/ha) was 8.5 percent and 13
percent higher the plant density 29,629 plants/ha and 18,518 plants/ha respectively.On
an average, transplanted cotton− wheat− mungbean and transplanted cotton−
onion−fodder cowpea+maize cropping sequence recorded an increase in production and
economic efficiency was (13.84 and 27.5 %) and (13.34 and 32.06 %) over direct seeded
cotton–wheat and direct seeded cotton–onion cropping sequence respectively
Description
t-9793
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