Abstract
Micronutrients and supplemental irrigations were evaulated in split plot design to improve hybrid cotton micronaire in last picking. Farmer's practices (FP) of sole hybrid cotton, soybean+pigeon pea (4:1) and cotton + pigeon pea (8:2) stripcroppings were compared alongwith soybean as intercrop in the existing cotton+pigeonpea stripcropping (8:2) for micronutrient requirement, rain water conservation and profitability. Soybean cultivation is best suited and most profitable in shallow soils of <0.45 m deep. Novel strip cropping of cotton + soybean + pigeon pea (4:4:2) alongwith opening of conservation furrow in pigeon pea with a profitability of 41 and 58% over sole cotton in shallow and medium deep soils. Micronutrients requirement was not arise with moderate cotton yield levels of sole and strip cropped cotton as INM application 5 t FYM ha-1 year-3, compared to its absence in farmer’s fields improved 15 to 35% seed cotton yield in Bt hybrid cotton under rainfed and two supplemental irrigations. Significant responses were observed for supplemental irrigations in low rainfall years alongwith Mn, B application in improving micronaire, seed cotton yield and profitability. Premium range of cotton micronaire was produced in last pick under rainfed and two supplemental irrigations in shallow and medium soils by Mn and B at 0.5 and 0.3% foliar spray 3 times after square initiation at fortnightly interval. Soil application of MnSO4 at 25 kg ha-1 year-3 and Borax at 10 kg ha-1 year-3, respectively in rainfed calcareous shallow and medium deep soils along with supplemental irrigations could improve micronaire. Key words: Boron, conservation furrow, hybrid cotton, manganese, medium deep soils, micronaire, pigeon pea, profitability, strip cropping, soybean, shallow soils, supplemental irrigations.
Highlights
Boron and winter irrigations were suggested in coarse textured low water holding capacity soils for improving the lint yield, which produced variable fibre quality results across seasons lead to limited agronomical value (Bradow and Davidonis, 2000; Ahmed et al, 2012)
The shallow soil resource should be better used for soybean crop of 100 days (LGP) for improving and stabilizing the profitability instead of growing 180 days duration hybrid cotton with a higher probability of crop failure in case of aberrant weather conditions (NBSS, LUP, 2013)
Significant improvements in biomass production t ha-1 (BMP) of soybean by Zn SO4 25 kg ha-1 year-3 soil application brought in medium deep soils and Zn, MnSO4 25 and Borax 10 kg ha-1year-3 micronutrients in shallow soils and foliar application of micronutrients along with 2% urea and without urea on pod yield g plant-1 at flowering stage needs further verification for wider agronomical recommendations
Summary
Boron and winter irrigations were suggested in coarse textured low water holding capacity soils for improving the lint yield, which produced variable fibre quality results across seasons lead to limited agronomical value (Bradow and Davidonis, 2000; Ahmed et al, 2012). Long duration Gossypium hirsutum cotton hybrids were well adopted in rainfed vertisols 1972-2002. They had lower micronaire and strength with inefficient pink bollworm control in later pickings gave 25% lower profit realization by the farmers of central India (Sreenivasan and Venkata krishnan, 2007; Stone, 2007). Winter flowering often caught in reduced atmospheric humidity, soil moisture and nutrients uptake under.
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