DefinePK

Abstract

Background and Objective Cotton is the backbone of Indian textile industry, accounting for 75 of total fibre consumption in textile sector and 38 of the countrys export. To increase the yield of cotton and in order to meet the demand of cotton industry, development of appropriate cropping system and nutrient management strategies to cotton has becomes crucial. Therefore, study on the effect of intercrops, inorganic fertilizers, biofertilizers and tree leaf extract spray on seed cotton yield was taken up. Materials and Methods Intercropping system viz., C1-Cotton sole, C2-CottonBlackgram, C3-Cotton Greengram and C4-CottonCluster bean were allotted to main plot. The intercrops residues were incorporated at 65 DAS. The subplot consisted of six treatments viz., N1-100 RDF Recommended Dose of fertilizer-804040 kg NPKha, N2-75 RDF, N3-75 RDFbiofertilizers, N4-75 RDF5 Morinda leaf extract spray, N5-75 RDF5 Vilvam leaf extract spray, N6-75 RDF5 Annona leaf extract spray. The experiments were laid out in a split plot design with three replications. Leaf extracts were sprayed at 60 and 80 DAS. The biofertilizers include AzospirillumPhosphobacteriaSilicate solubilizing bacteria each at 2.6 kg ha1501. Results Intercropping system, nutrient management and botanicals treatment showed significant response interms of seed cotton yield. Among the different intercropping system and nutrient management, cotton blackgram intercropping with integrated nutrient management involving application of 75 RDFseed treatment and soil application of biofertilizers recorded higher seed cotton yield 1619 and 1715 kg ha1501 during winter 2007 and Summer 2007-08, respectively. Conclusion Cottonblackgram intercropping system with application of 75 RDFseed treatment and soil application biofertilizers may be recommended for higher seed cotton yield.