Effect of macronutrient fertilizer mixtures on quality parameters and agronomic efficiency in cotton (Var. CO 14)

Abstract

A field study was conducted to assess the effect of macronutrient fertilizer mixtures over the quality parameters and nutrient use efficiency of cotton at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. The treatment comprised of fertilizer mixtures of different sources for particular macronutrient (for nitrogen (urea and calcium nitrate), for phosphorus (single superphosphate), for potassium (muriate of potash and sulphate of potash) and for nitrogen and phosphorus (mono ammonium phosphate, di ammonium phosphate and ammonium sulphate phosphate)). It was observed that in cotton, agronomic efficiency was considerably increased due to application of calcium nitrate containing fertilizer mixture (calcium nitrate + di-ammonium phosphate + muriate of potash). No significant difference was recorded in quality parameters of the fiber whereas protein and oil content was increased by the application of sulfur containing fertilizer mixtures (calcium nitrate + di-ammonium phosphate + sulphate of potash and urea + di-ammonium phosphate + sulphate of potash respectively).