High-Density Planting System is an Alternative to the Conventional System of Cotton Cultivation in North Eastern Dry Zone of Karnataka, India

Abstract:

A field experiment was conducted on “Growth, yield and economic performance of compact cotton genotypes grown under high-density planting system in an irrigated ecosystem”. Among the different compact cotton genotypes, G₁: SCS-1206 recorded highest seed cotton yield (2886 kg ha^-1), growth attributes viz., number of sympodial branches, total dry matter production, absolute growth rate, crop growth rate, leaf area duration and leaf area index and also yield attributes viz., number of bolls per plant, boll weight and seed cotton yield per plant. Whereas, significantly lower values on different growth and yield attributes were recorded with the genotype DSC-99. Among the different planting geometries, a closer row spacing of S₁: 60 cm x 10 cm recorded significantly higher seed cotton yield (2896 kg ha^-1) over the rest of the row spacings. Among the different combinations, the genotype G₁: SCS-1206 grown at S₁: 60 cm x 10 cm spacing recorded significantly higher seed cotton yield (3096 kg ha^-1) and it was found at par with the combination of the same genotype G₁: SCS-1206 with S₂:75 cm x 10 cm spacing (2949 kg ha^-1) and genotype G₃: Suraj with S₁: 60 cm x 10 cm spacing (2923 kg ha^-1). Cotton grown under the conventional system with Bt cotton hybrid ATM at a recommended spacing of 90 cm x 60 cm recorded significantly lower seed cotton yield (2314 kg ha^-1), when compared with the all the treatment combinations of cotton grown under HDPS except with the interaction of genotype G₂: DSC-99 at S₂: 90 cm x 10 cm spacing.