Effect of saline-sodic sewage on the growth, yield and quality of cotton

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted during 1999 to exploit the possibilities of recycling the open drain sewage by an integrated management approach. The sewage used was saline-sodic in nature and six treatments were employed. Apart from well water and raw sewage controls, treatments involving application of gypsum, alternating with well water and raw sewage were also included for the test crop of cotton (MCU 5). The results revealed that the attempt to neutralize the undesirable RSC of sewage by soil incorporation of gypsum was effective. This management practice produced high total dry matter and seed cotton yield of 4687 and 1847 kg ha¹ during winter representing 25.2 and 58.6 per cent increase in yield and 4612 and 1748 kg ha¹ during summer representing 47.9 and 55.2 per cent increase in yield over the control respectively. Similar effect was also recorded in the treatment that involved sewage cum well water irrigation supplemented by gypsum. This treatments during both winter and summer,. produced the total dry matter yield of 4636 and 4590 kg ha and cotton yield of 1934 and 1828 kg ha respectively.