Punjab agri dept issues early cotton sowing advisory

MULTAN, Mar 15 (APP):The Punjab agriculture department has issued recommendations for early cotton cultivation, advising farmers to complete sowing by March 31.
According to a spokesman of the department, districts of Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan are most suitable for early cotton cultivation.
Farmers have been advised to cultivate approved triple-gene varieties including CKC-1, CKC-3, Hatif-3, ICS-386, CKC-6 and CEMB-AAS3.
The spokesman urged growers to ensure that the seed purchased is certified by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department and belongs to genuine triple-gene varieties.
For early cotton sowing, the recommended spacing is 2.5 feet between rows and 1.5 to 2 feet between plants.
Farmers should use four to five kilograms of delinted seed with more than 75 percent germination or five to six kilograms with about 60 percent germination per acre. Seeds should be treated with recommended chemicals in consultation with local agriculture experts before sowing.