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FAISALABAD, Apr 28 (APP):Agriculture experts have advised the growers to complete cotton cultivation before April 30 for getting bumper yield.
A spokesman for Agriculture (Extension) Department said here on Monday that the best time for cotton cultivation will expire by the end of April. Therefore, the farmers are urged to take necessary steps for immediate competition of cotton cultivation as late sowing would effective crop production.
He also advised the growers to sow at least 10 percent non-BT (non-genetically modified) varieties alongside BT varieties on their cotton area. This strategy would help them to prevent bollworms from developing resistance against BT cotton, he said, adding that in this regard the agriculture department has also issued a guideline for the cotton growers. He recommended ridge planting methods for cotton cultivation and said that the farmers should either use machinery or place the seeds manually on prepared ridges. If the farmers want to use a drill for cotton cultivation, they should maintain a row spacing of 2.5 feet. They should form the ridges by earthing up alternate rows when the cotton plants reached at the height of 1.5 to 2 feet, he added.
The spokesperson highlighted several advantages of ridge planting including better weed control, more efficient fertilizer use, significant water conservation and protection from rainfall damage.
He also advised the farmers to apply fertilizers based on soil test results. He said that all phosphorus and potassium fertilizers and one-fourth of the nitrogen fertilizer should be applied during land preparation. If fertilizers were not applied at that stage, these should be used after thinning the crop, he added.
For post-thinning fertilizer application, he preferred nitrophos and said it should be applied dissolved in irrigation water. In the case of early sowing, the remaining nitrogen should be applied in four to five installments whereas in seasonal sowing, it should be used in three to four installments, he added.