Response of Bt cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) to spacing and fertilizer levels under rainfed conditions Bhalerao P.D.1, Associate Professor, Deshmukh P.W., Assistant Professor, Gaikwad Godavari. S.*, Assistant Professor, Imade S.R., Ph.D. Research Scholar Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra 444 104 1Cotton Research Unit *Corresponding author Emall: godavarisarkate@rediffmail.com
Online published on 6 July, 2012. Abstract A field experiment was conducted kharif2008 to 2011, to find out the impact of plant spacing and levels of N, P and K fertilization on the performance of Bt callan (Gossypium hirsutum L.). From pooled analysis of three years data, it was observed that callan planted at 90 cm x 45 cm spacing recorded 8.43% higher seed collon yield than 90 cm x 60 cm spacing. Closer spacing between plants had more bolls/m2 (45.3) and seed callan yield/m2 (120.1 g.) than wider spaced crop (37.6) and (99.4 g.), respectively. Bunny Bt cotton produced significantly higher seed collon yield (1.06 IIha) than its non Bt counter part (0.93 tlha). Application of 150% recommended dose of fertilizer/ha was at par with 125% recommended dose of fertilizerlha, but significantly higher than recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) i.e. 50:25:25 kg N-P-Klha. There was increasing trend in total uptake of N, P and K with increasing N, P and K levels from RDF (148.1 kg/hal to 150% RDF (197.7 kg/ha). Monetary returns showed increasing trend with decreasing intra-row spacing from 60cm (36.4 x 103 /ha) to 45 cm (43.2 x 103/ha). Based on the study, spacing of 90cm x 45cm and fertilizer dose of 62.5–31.5–31.5 kg N-P-Klha were found suitable for Bunny Bt cotton hybrid under rainfed conditions. Top Keywords Bt and non Bt collon, Economics, Fertilizer, Plant density, Yield. Top |