Cotton

Package Of Practices

Introduction Zone 1 And 2 Irrigated Zone 1 And 2 Rainfed Zone 3 Irrigated Zone 3 Rainfed Zone 4,5 And 6 Hybrid Cotton Zone 4,5 And 6 Irrigated Zone 4,5 And 6 Rainfed Zone 7 And 8

Package of Practices for different Zones in Karnataka

• Regionwise (zone-wise) re.c.ommendation of varieties and hybrids and management timetables for desi rainfed, hirsutum rainfed and irrigation hirsutum and hybrids.

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Zone 1 & 2 Irrigated

Sowing time

May end to July end

Inputs

Seeds:

Organic Manure

• Farmyard manure or Compost - 12 tons/ha

Fertilizers

Sowing

• Apply FYM or compost 2-3 weeks before sowing.
• Apply 40 kg N, 40 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K20 per ha just before sowing for improved varieties and for hybrids apply 75 kg N, 75 kg P2O5 and 75 kg K2O at the time of sowing. Sow improved variety seeds in 75 cm r ows at 30 cm apart . While, the hybrids in 120 cm or 90 cm rows at 60 cm apart. It is always advisable to place the fertilizers 5 cm below the seed line. Top dress the improved varieties with 40 kg N and hybrids with 75 kg N equally 3 times at 50, 80 and 110 Days after sowing.

Irrigation

• Irrigate the crop in 8-10 days in the case of sandy loam soils and once in 15-20 days in heavy soils depending upon the weather conditions. Two pre-flowering and four post-flowering irrigations are to be given without fail.

Plant protection

Important pests and diseases

Insect pests

• Thrips, Whitefly, aphid, jassids, spotted boll worm, pink boll worm, heliothis, leaf roller, mealy bug, red cotton bug, dusky cotton bug.

Diseases

• Leaf spot, Bacterial blight, Fusarium wilt.

Plant protection schedule

• Treat the seeds with capton or thiram @ 2 g/kg of seeds.
• Apply 7-15 kg phorate 10 G per hac to the seed rows before sowing. The granules may be applied along with fertilizers.

OR

• Spray the crop 25 days after sowing, with 1.5 ml oxydemeton methyl 25 E.C.. Or 0.5 ml phosphamidon 100 E.C. or 1.7 ml Dimethoate 30 E.C. or 1 ml Monocrotophos 36 SL in 1 litre of water against thrips, aphids and jassids, use 500-600 lt of spray mixture ha-1, repeat the same spray on 40th day, if jassids and thrips persist.
• Spray the crop at 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105, 115 and 125 DAS with 0.5 ml Decamethrin 2.8 E.C or 0.5 ml Cypermethrin 10 E.C. ro 0.5 ml. Fenvalerate or 2.75 ml Endosulfan 35 E.C. or 2.5 ml Moncorotophos 36 SL or 2 ml. Phenthoate 35 E.C.. Or 2 ml Phosalone 35 E.C. 2 ml Quinalphos 25 E.C. or 3 ml Chloropyriphos in 1 litre of water. Use 1000 to 1250 lts of water ha-1. Spray 0.3 ml or 2.5 ml Carbaryl 48 E.C. in 1 lt. Of water against boll worms.
• Spray synthetic pyrethroids at 75 and 105 DAS.

Note

• In case of mite infestation add 5.5 g Wettable sulphur or 2.5 ml Dicofol 20 E.C. with other insecticide and take up spraying.
• Add 3 g Copper oxychloride or 3 g Ziram to control leaf spot disease.
• If black arm disease is noticed spray the crop with 0.5 g Streptomycin sulphate and 3 g Copper oxychloride in 1 lt of water at 50 DAS. Repeat the same spray twice at an interval of 15 days. Use about 650lt of spray mixture per ha.
• In case of cut worm incidence, dissolve 1.25 ml endosulfan or 2.2 g Carbaryl 50 WP in 1 lt of water and pour about 150 ml mixture around each plant.
• The dosage of chemicals suggested for the crop applies only to high volume sprayers.

White fly management and control

• Grow cotton during right season and only once in a year. Avoid late sowing.
• Do not grow cotton continuously in the same plot. Rotate cotton crop with non host plants like Jowar and maize.
• Do not apply excessive nitrogenous fertilizers than recommended. Irrigate the crop according to its water requirement and keep a check over the growth of the cotton plants.
• Weed hosts of cotton whiteflies like Abutilon should be removed and burnt.
• Monitor the occurrence of whiteflies on cotton with the help of sticky traps (made by smearing castor oil on yellow was sheets) and attract and kill white flies.
• Do not spray or dust the cotton crop with DDT.
• To control whiteflies, spray the crop with neem oil at 5 ml in 1 lt of water or with 1 kg of fish oil (+soap) in 40 lt of water. Addition of stickers (teepol or sandovit) at 1-2 ml per litre or neem oil spray solution will help in uniform spreading of the spray on the leaves.
• For Whitefly control, spray 2 ml Butacarbokim 50 Ec or 1.5 ml monocrotophos 36 SL + 1.0 ml DDVP + 0.25 teepol or 2.8 ml phasalon + 1.5 ml Ethion in 1 lit of water. Use 1000-1250 lt of spray mixture.
• Spray the crop when the population reaches 5-10 white flies per leaf. Repeat the spray as and when required.

Weed control

• Spray the soil on the same day or the next day after sowing with 1.7 g Diuron 80 WP or 2.7 ml Fluchoralin 45 Ec in 1 lt of water, there should be sufficient moisture in the soil at the time of spray. Use 750 lt of spray mixture ha-1.

Use of planofix

• Spray 1 ml planofix in 4.5 lit of water twice, once at the time of flower initiation and the other at the peak flowering stage. This will check floral shedding and also increases the yield.

Yield

• Improved varieties : 20-25 Q/HA
• Hybrids : 30-40 q/ha

Non-cash inputs

• Use the recommended variety
• Incorporate the FYM atleast 3 weeks before sowing.
• Give 2 pre-flowering and 4 post-flowering irrigations without fail.

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Zone I & II

Rainfed

Sowing time

• Sow G-22 in June
• Raichur-51 and DB-3-12 can be sown in First fortnight of September
• Laxmi and RAS 299-1 can be sown from July-September middle.
• Sow DDH-2 in July
• Sow hybrid cotton in first fortnight of June at 120 cm x 60 cm spacing in Zone-1.

Note

• It is advisable to sow 15 days earlier to sowing time.

Inputs Kg/ha

Sowing & Spacing

• Incorporate FYM/compost 2-3 weeks before sowing. Varieties are sown in 60 cm rows at 30 cm apart while the hybrids at 90 cm rows and 45 cm apart. Sow seeds and apply fertilizers at one operation using seed drill.

Intercultivation

• Intercultivate 3-4 times at 30 days interval to destroy weeds and avoid cracking.

Important pests and diseases

Insect pests

• Whitefly, spotted bollworm, Pink boll worm, aphid, jassid, thrips, mites, heliothis, leaf roller, mealy bug, red cotton bug and dusky cotton bug.

Diseases

• Black arm, leaf spot and Fusarium wilt.

Plant protection schedule

• Treat the seed with organo-mercuric compound 1 per cent at 2.5 g/kg.
• Spray the crop of 30 days old with 1.5 ml Oxydemeton methyl 25 E.C. or 0.5 ml Phosphamidon 85 WSC or 1.7 ml Dimethoate 30 E.C. in 1 lt of water. Use 500 lts of spray mixture ha-1.
• Spray the crop 45th, 50th, 75th and 90th day after sowing with 0.5 ml. Decamethrin or 0.5 ml Cypermethrin or 4 g Carboryl 50 E.C. in 1 lt of water. Use 1000 lts of spray mixture ha-1. Synthetic pyrethroids should be sprayed on 75th day after sowing with conventional insecticides on 45, 60 and 90 DAS. Dust with 30 kg 10 per cent carbaryl powder and 5 kg sulphur powder or 30 kg quinolphos 1.5 per cent at 45, 60, 75 and 90 DAS.

Note

• For Mite control, add 5.5 g Wettable sulphur or 2.5 ml Dicofol 20 E.C. in 1 lt spray mixture.
• Add 2 g Zineb in 1 lt of spray solution to control leaf spot disease if noticed.
• Need based plant protection measures may be adopted in case of Raichur-51, DB-12 and G-22 cotton varieties.
• Instead of sulphur, use Dicofol for the control of mites in varieties Raichur-51, DB-21 and G-22.
• If Black arm disease is noticed spray the crop with 0.5 g Streptomycin sulphate and 3 g Copper oxychloride in 1 lt of water at 50 DAS. Repeat the same spray twice at 15 days once. Use about 400 lt of spray mixture per spray.

Yield

500 – 750 kg ha-1

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Zone – 3

Irrigated

Note

• Variety 170 CD-2 is recommended for Ghatapraba area and Meeranar to Bijapur areas (selected)

Inputs Kg/ha

Spacing

Meeranar30 cm x 22.5 cm

Others75 cm x 30 cm

Irrigation

Irrigate the crop at 8-10 days interval incase of sandy loom soils and once in 15-20 days interval in heavy soils depending on the weather.

Condition

Two pre-flowering and four post flowering irrigations are must.

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Zone - 3

Rainfed

Sowing time

• AK-235 can be sown in June
• Western-1 & Raichur-51 August middle – Mid September
• Others July

Inputs (Kg/ha)

Hybrids

Inputs (Kg/ha)

Seeds

120 cm x 60 cm spacing 2.5

90 cm x 60 cm spacing 3.13

Yield

Varalakshmi – 30\-40 q ha-1

Jayalakshmi – 35-42.5 q ha-1

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Zone 4, 5 & 6

Hybrid Cotton

• Varalaxmi and Jayalakshmi (DCH-32) are the two hybrid cotton varieties which are under cultivation.
• They have a high yielding potential, besides enhanced qualities as compared to other varieties.

Inputs

Incorporate atleast 2-3 weeks before sowing.

Note

• The fertilizer recommendations may be modified based on soil test results.

Plant protection chemicals

Sowing

• Apply 30 kg N, 30 kg P2O5 and 30 kg K2O/acre before sowing. Dibble the seeds in 3 ft. rows at 2 ft. apart in light soils and in 4 ft rows at 2 ft apart in heavy soils. Keep the field free from weeds. Top dress the crop thrice with 10 kg N/acre every time at an interval of 30 days starting from 50 days after sowing.
• Two per cent urea or Diammonium phosphate may be given in the form of spray, 2 to 3 times 120 days after sowing, with an interval of 15 days.

Irrigation

• Irrigate once in 8 to 10 days in case of sandy loam soils and once in 15 to 20 days in heavy soils depending upon the weather conditions. Avoid excessive irrigation particularly at flowering and at boll formation stages. Provide light irrigation after each picking. Drainage may be provided in black soil areas.

Plant protection

Important insects and diseases

Insects

• Whitefly, spotted bollworm, pink bollworm, aphid, jassid, thrips, mites, heliothis, leaf roller, mealy bug, red cotton bug and dusky cotton bug.

Diseases

• Blackarm, leaf spot and Fusarium wilt

Plant protection schedule

• Use only certified seeds treated with organomercuric compound at 3 g per kg seed.
• Apply 4 kg Phorate 10 per cent granule or 8 kg Disulfoton 5 per cent granules/acre, around the plant holes before sowing.



OR

Spray the crop, 25 days and 40 days after sowing, with 25 ml Oxydemeton-methyl 25 E.C. or 9 ml Phosphamidon 100 E.C. or 30 ml Diemthoate 30 E.C. or 18 ml Methyl Parathion 50 E.C. or 36 ml Quinalphos 25 E.C. in 18 litres of water against Jassids and Thrips. Use about 220-300 litres of spray mixture per acre.

• Spray the crop 55th, 70th, 85th, 100th, 115th and 130th day after sowing, with 9 ml, Decamethrin or 9 ml. Cypermethrin 10 E.C. or 9 ml Fenvelerate or 9 ml Permethrin or 72 g Carbaryl 50 WP or 50 ml Endosulfan 30 E.C. or 45 ml Monocrotophos 40 E.C. or 36 ml Phenthoate or 50 ml Phosalone 35 E.C. or 36 ml Quinalphos in 18 litres of water. Synthetic pyrethriods should be used alternatively (i.e., on 55th, 85th and 115th day after sowing) with conventional insecticides (i.e., on 70th, 100th and 130th day after sowing). Use about 450-500 litres at spray mixture per acre.

Note

• The plant protection measures are to be taken only when the first symptoms of insect or disease are seen. Prophylactic measures are to be taken in case of endemic pests and diseases.
• The dosage of chemicals suggested for the crop applies only to high volume sprayers.
• In case of Mite infestation add 100 g Wettable sulphur or 45 ml Dicofol to 18 litres of Carbaryl or Phosalone spray mixture.
• Add 40 g Zineb in 18 litres of spray solution to control Leaf spot, whenever its incidence is noticed.
• Spray the crop with insecticides mentioned in schedule-2, if Aphid infestation is noticed in late sown crop.
• Whenever reddening of leaves or symptoms of reddening of leaves is observed, spray of 1 per cent Diamaphos may be helpful. Use overnight solution of 1 per cent Di-amaphos.
• If Black arm disease is noticed spray the crop with 9 g. streptomycin sulphate and 54 g. Copper oxychloride in 18 litres of water (50 days after sowing). Repeat the same spray twice at an interval of 15 days. Use about 400 ltires of spray mixture per spray per acre.
• In case of cutworm incidence dissolve 23 ml Endosulfan 35 E.C. or 40 g Carbaryl 50 wp in 18 litres of water and pour 150 ml mixture around each plant to control cutworms. About 100 litres of solution is required per acre.

Cotton Whitefly management and control

• Follow the same measures suggested for Zone 1 and 2.

Weed control

• Follow the same weed control measures suggested for Zone 1 and 2 crop.

Yield

• Hybrid cotton gives an yield of 30 to 40 quintals/ha (12 to 16 quintal/ac).
• Important non-cash input practices for better yields
• Incorporate farmyard manure 2-3 weeks before sowing.
• Avoid excessive irrigation particularly at flowering and boll formations stages.

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Zone 4,5,6

Irrigated

Inputs (Kg/ha)

• Use acid delineated seed to ensure uniform germination and establishment of desired plant population.



Organic manure:

Farmyard manure or compost

12.5 tons



• Incorporate atleast 2-3 weeks before sowing.



Fertilizers

N P2O5 K2O

75 37.5 37.5




Note

• The fertilizer recommendations may be modified based on soil test results.



Plant protection chemicals

Organo-mercuric compound 1%	31.3 g
Oxydemeton-methyl 25 E.C.. Or Phosphamidon 100 E.C. or Methyl Parathion 50 E.C.. Or Diemthoate 30 E.C	1,062 ml 375 ml 750 ml 1,275 ml
Carbaryl 50 WP. Or Endosulfan 35 E.C.. Or Monocrotophos 40 E.C.. Or Quinalphos 25 E.C.. Or Phosalone 35 E.C.. Or Phenthoate or Cypermethrin 10 E.C.. Or Fenvalerate or	26.3 kg 18.5 lit 15.8 lit 13.5 lit 18.8lit 13.13 lit 1,875 ml 1,875 ml
Zineb	3 kg
Wettable sulphur	7 kg
Dicofol 20 E.C.	3 lit
Streptomycin sulphate	1,800 g
Copper oxychloride	9 kg
Ziram	6.5 kg
Herbicides
Diuron 80 WP	1,250 g
Or Fluchloronil 45 E.C.	2 lit




Sowing

• Apply 37.5 kg N, 37.5 kg P2O5 and 37.5 kg K2O per ha just before sowing. Sow the seeds in 2 ½ ft. rows at 12 inches apart. It is always advisable to place the fertilizers 2 inches below the seed line. Top dress the crop with 37.5 kg N per ha immediately after weeding, 60 days after sowing.



Irrigation

• Irrigate the crop in 8 to 10 days in the case of sandy loam soils and once in 15 to 20 days in heavy soils depending upon the weather conditions. Two pre-flowering (excluding the irrigation at planting) and four post-flowering irrigations are to be given without fail.
• In heavy black soil areas where there is a practice of over irrigation, follow alternate furrow irrigation, i.e., irrigate even and odd rows alternatively.



Plant protection

Important insects and diseases

Insects

• Whitefly, spotted bollworm, pink bollworm, aphid, jassid, thrips, mites, heliothis, leaf roller, mealy bug, red cotton bug and dusky cotton bug.



Diseases:

• Blackarm, leaf spot and Fusarium wilt



Plant protection schedule

• Treat the seed with organo-mercuric compound 1 per cent at 3 g per kg seed.
• Apply 7 kg Phorate or 10 kg Disulfoton per acre to the seed rows before sowing. The granules may be applied along with the fertilizers.

OR

Spray the crop 25 days after sowing, with 25 ml. Oxydemeton methyl 25 E.C. or 9 ml. Phosphamidon 100 E.C. or 30 ml. Dimethoate 30 E.C. or 18 ml. Methyl parathion 50 E.C.. Or 36 ml. Quinalphos 25 E.C. in 18 litres of water, against Jassids and Thrips. Use 250 to 300 litres of spray mixture per acre. Repeat the same spray on 40th day, if Jassids and Thrips persist.

• Spray the crop 55, 70, 85, 100, 115 and 130 days after sowing with 9 ml. Decamethrin or 9 ml Cypermethrin 10 E.C. or 9 ml Fenvalerate or 9 ml Permamethrin or 72 g Carbaryl 50 WP or 50 ml Endosulfan 35 E.C. or 45 ml Monocrotophos 40 E.C. or 36 ml Phenthoate or 50 ml Phosalone 35 E.C. in 18 litres of water. Use 400-450 litres of spray mixture per acre.
• Synthetic pyrethroids should be used alternately (i.e., on 55th, 85th and 115th day after sowing) with conventional insecticides (i.e., on 70th, 100th and 130 th day after sowing).



Weed control

• Spray the soil the same day or the next day after sowing with 500 g Diuron 80 WP or 800 ml Fluchloralin 45 E.C. per acre dissolved in 300 litres of water. The soil should be in fine tilth at the time of spray and there should be sufficient moisture in the soil. Give light irrigation after each spray.



Use of planofix

• Spray one ml Planofix in 4.5 litres of water twice, once at the time of flower initiation and the other at the peak flowering stage. This will check floral shedding and also increase the yield.



Yield

• About 20to 25 quintals may be expected per hectare (8 to 10 quintals/acre).
• Important non-cash input practices for better yields
• Use the recommended variety.
• Incorporate the farm yard manure atleast two to three weeks before sowing.
• Give two pre-flowering and four post-flowering irrigations without fail.

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Zone - 4, 5 & 6

Rainfed

Sowing season

• Sow the crop from middle of June to end of July

Inputs

Note

• For thick sowing 6 kg seed is recommended/acre. Thin out the crop to maintain the optimum plant population.

• Incorporate atleast 2-3 weeks before sowing.

Note

• The fertilizer recommendations may be modified based on soil test results.

Plant protection chemicals

Note

• Sulphur should not be used for mites on Herbacium cotton variety like Jayadhar and Arborium variety like AK-235. Use Dicofol in place of sulphur.

Sowing

• After the land is ready, sow the seeds in 2 ft rows at 12 inches apart. Apply the entire dose of fertilizers 15 to 20 days before sowing. Foliar spray of Urea at the rate of 15 kg N per acre in three equal installments at 46, 60 and 80 days after sowing, 20 g Urea dissolved in one litre of water (i.e., 2% solution) may be given to only Hirsutum varieties. Keep the field free from weeds.

Plant protection

Important insects and diseases

Insects

• Whitefly, spotted bollworm, pink bollworm, aphid, jassid, thrips, mites, heliothis, leaf roller, mealy bug, red cotton bug and dusky cotton bug.

Diseases

• Blackarm, leaf spot and Fusarium wilt

Plant protection schedule

• Treat the seed with organo-mercuric compound 1 per cent at 3 g per kg seed.
• Spray the crop of 30 days old with 25 ml Oxydemeton methyl 25 E.C. or 9 ml Phosphamidon 100 E.C. or 30 ml Dimethoate 30 E.C. or 18 ml Methyl parathion 50 E.C. or 36 ml Quinalphos 25 E.C. in 18 litres of water. Use 300 litres of spray mixture per acre.
• Spray the crop 45th, 60th, 7th and 90th day after sowing with 9 ml Decamethrin or 9 ml Cypermethrin or 9 ml Fenvalerate or 9 ml Permethrin or 72 g Carbaryl 50 WP or 50 ml Endosulfan 35 E.C. or 45 ml Monocrotophos 40 E.C. or 36 ml Phenthoate or 50 ml Phosalone 35 E.C. in 18 litres of water. Use 400-450 litres of spray mixture per acre.

• Synthetic pyrethroids should be used alternately (i.e., on 45th and 75th day after sowing) with conventional insecticides (i.e., on 60th and 90th day after sowing).

OR

• In place of item 3 above, dust the crop with 12 kg Carbaryl 10 per cent dust and 2 kg Sulphur dust or 12 kg Quinalphos 1.5 per cent dust per acre on 45th, 60th, 75th and 90th day after sowing.

Whitefly Management and Control

• Follow the measures suggested for Zone 1 and 2.

Note

• For Mite control, add 100 g. Wettable sulphur or 45 ml Dicofol 20 E.C. to 18 litres of Carbaryl or Endosulfan spray solution.
• Add 40 g Zineb in 18 litres of spray solution to control leaf spot disease, whenever its incidence is noticed.
• Need based plant protection measures may be adopted in case of Jayadhar and AK-235 cotton varieties.
• In place of Carbaryl 10 per cent dust, Carbaryl 5 per cent dust may be used at the rate of 15 kg per acre.
• Spray the crop with insecticides mentioned in item 2 above if Aphid infestation is noticed in late sown crop.
• If black arm disease is noticed spray the crop with 9 g Streptomycin sulphate and 54 g. Copper oxychloride in 18 litres of water, 50 days after sowing, repeat the same spray twice at an interval of 15 days. Use about 400 litres of spray mixture per spray.
• The plant protection measures are to be taken only when the first symptoms of insect or disease are seen. Prophylactic measures are to be taken in case of endemic pests and diseases.
• The dosage of chemicals suggested for the crop applies only to high volume sprayers.

Yield

• The yield varies from 625 to 1000kg per hectare depending upon seasonal conditions (250 to 400 kg/acre)
• Important non-cash input practices for better yields
• Chose the variety suitable to your area
• Sow the crop early in the season.
• Incorporate farm yard manure at least 2-3 weeks earlier to sowing.

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Zone7 & 8

Irrigated

• Inputs (Kg/ha)

Seeds8

Spacing

• 75 cm x 30 cm

Rainfed

• Sowing timeJune fortnight to July end
• Inputs (Kg/ha)
• SeedsTreated10
• Untreated15

Spacing

• 60 cm x 30 cm

Hybrids

• Inputs (Kg/ha)
• Seeds120 cm x 60 cm2.5
• 60 cm x 90 cm3.13

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