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Agri Biz/Cotton
Cotton in the crucial
month of September
 Cotton is one of the most important crops of Pakistan. Therefore it is very
important to put in best effort to enhance its production by adopting all the
available technologies and recourses. In order to get maximum per area yield, it is
essential to manage the crop in the most efficient manner during the moth of September
because more then 60% of total bolls area set during the month (table-1). The
bolls set during September have standard weigh and lint of good quality in
comparison but the bolls set during August & October have less boll weight &
poor lint quality.
FRUITING HABIT OF COTTON CULTIVARS (TABLE-1)
(PERCENT OF TOTAL BOLLS SET DURING THE SEASON)
| CULTIVAR |
FORTNIGHT CALENDAR DATES |
| 1-15/Aug |
16-31/Aug |
1-15/Sep |
16-30/Sep |
1-15/Oct |
15-31/Oct |
| CIM-240 |
1 |
21 |
32 |
31 |
13 |
2 |
| CIM-109 |
3 |
26 |
37 |
25 |
8 |
1 |
| CIM-1100 |
1 |
10 |
25 |
36 |
26 |
2 |
| CIM-448 |
5 |
15 |
25 |
35 |
16 |
4 |
| NIAB-78 |
10 |
15 |
38 |
30 |
5 |
2 |
| N-Karishma |
12 |
15 |
35 |
25 |
8 |
5 |
| BH-36 |
1 |
8 |
24 |
32 |
26 |
9 |
| FH-634 |
5 |
18 |
36 |
26 |
12 |
3 |
| CIM-443 |
10 |
20 |
35 |
30 |
5 |
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| CIM-446 |
5 |
18 |
32 |
30 |
12 |
3 |
| VII-53 |
1 |
10 |
37 |
31 |
16 |
5 |
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As it is clear from the above table that all most all the varieties of
cotton
bear best fruit during September therefore we can say that September is
the most critical month for cotton crop. During this month the cotton Grower
must adopt the following measures to get maximum yield.
1. IRRIGATION
Before discussing the water requirements of cotton crop we should keep in
mind that cotton plant is water sensitive. Over and under irrigation can damage the
yield potential of crop. As a result of heavy irrigation we may observe the
following:
- Yellowish color of crop.
- Dropping of fresh flowers bolls.
- Excessive vegetative growth.
- Heavy pest pressure.
- Late maturity of crop.
- Rottening of mature
bolls in lower parts of planets.
- Lodging the heavy fruit bearing planets.
- All these factors lead to get poor yield. Water stress also has a lot of harmful
effects on the crop, some of them are as under:
- Heavy shedding of squares, buds, flower, bolls, leave.
- Reduced boll weight and size.
- Malopining of bolls.
- poor quality of lint & seed.
- Poor yield.
Keeping in new the above mentioned observations we must try to manage the
irrigation schedule properly during the month of September. The best way is to apply light
irrigation with short interval as per requirements. In this way we shall also be
able to manage our cotton field in case it rains.
2.FERTILIZATION
We should complete the total fertilization schedule before
start of September. Application of the fertilizer particularly Urea leads
to excessive vegetative growth, which attract heavy pest pressure, and delay in
maturity with poor yields.
3.INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)
IPM programme must be very efficient during September
because only this month brings about more 60% of total yield. Therefore we need to
be remain very alert and attentive. We must visit our fields daily & our spray
program should be according to the requirements. Two insect pest are very
common during September, Which are;
To Manage this insect, it is very essential to use the pesticides, which not
only kill the adult but also, its nymphs & eggs. For this pur[ose we can use the following
groups of pesticides;
(1) ACETAMAPRID GROUP (MOSPILAN, RANI, RAJA etc)
(2) BUPROFEZEN GROUP (PRIDE, SWEEP, etc)
(3) THIO-UREAE GROUP (POLO, DEFENSE, etc)
If we over able control whitefly properly we
shall observe our total crop in black color, This black colour of the crop is due to fungus SOOTY MOULDS, which
nourishes over the waste of whitefly. The best spraying time to control whitefly
is early in the morning or afternoon when air is not blow.
Efficient control of helithous or American Boll Warm during this month is very
essential to get maximum yield of cotton crop, otherwise it has ability to eat all the
floral parts & leaves of the cotton plant. During night its female lay eggs
in thousands regularly. In this situation we must use the following pesticides.
(1) OVICIDAL GROUP ( Lannate, Larvan, Profefonos, etc)
(2) ADULTICIDAL GROUP( Alphacyper, Gaonong, chlaorifos, etc)
While pest scouting of cotton fields, it is very useful to take help from
qualified persons of pesticides companies or of Government Agriculture Departments. These
professionals can help you best of available options. The best spraying time to
control bollworms is in sunshine excluding noon hours when air is not in below.
I hope that the farmer will manage their cotton crops in line with the
above stated advise during the month of September and get the best result with maximum yields. INSHALLAHA
.September
1
Shahid J.Kazi
KSS (Kisan Supplies Services)
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