Effect of Macronutrient and Morphoframe Manipulation on Growth, Yield and Economics of Bt Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Aim: Improving the cotton yield with best nutrient levels and effective modification of morphology by optimize the growth.

Study Design: Factorial randomized complete block design.

Place and Duration of Study: Agricultural College Farm, Raichur, (Karnataka, India) and Kharif 2016.

Methodology: The experiment was laid out in factorial RCBD with 18 treatments replicated thrice. The studies included three recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) (F1: 75% RDF, F2: 100% RDF (180:90:90 kg NPK ha-1), F3: 125% RDF) and six morphoframe manipulation practices (B1: Control, B2: Mepiquat chloride @ 100 ppm at 70 and 90 DAS, B3: Nipping during 85-95 DAS, B4: Boron @ 0.1% at 70 and 90 DAS, B5: Nipping with Boron @ 0.1% at 70 and 90 DAS, B6: Boron @ 0.1% along with Mepiquat chloride @ 100 ppm at 70 and 90 DAS).

Results: The result of this experiment revealed that there was significant difference in growth, yield contributing characters with respect to macronutrient levels and morphoframe manipulations. Application of 125 per cent RDF recorded significantly higher seed cotton yield (3420 kg ha-1) when compared to 100 per cent RDF (3088 kg ha-1) and 75 per cent RDF (2517 kg ha-1). Foliar spray of mepiquat chloride @ 100 ppm along with boron @ 0.1% at 70 and 90 DAS recorded significantly higher seed cotton yield (3318 kg ha-1) and it was at par with foliar spray of boron @ 0.1% with nipping during 85-95 DAS (3274 kg ha-1) over the control (2705 kg ha-1).