CCRI issues cotton advisory

MULTAN, May 18 (APP):Farmers Technical Advisory Committee of Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) has issued fresh recommendations for cotton growers, advising farmers to complete cotton sowing immediately and adopt preventive measures against pests, heat stress and nutrient deficiency ahead of the next crop management cycle ending May 31.

The recommendations were presented during the committee’s sixth meeting held at the institute under the chairmanship of CCRI Director Ms. Sabahat Hussain here on Monday.

Experts advised farmers whose crops have entered flowering and boll formation stages to apply SOP or MOP fertilizers through irrigation and use foliar sprays containing potassium, magnesium, zinc, copper and boron to improve boll formation and reduce heat stress.

Farmers with 25–30-day-old crops were directed to complete thinning operations without delay and apply DAP or NP fertilizer after thinning to ensure healthy plant branching. The committee also advised timely irrigation during cooler morning or evening hours and cautioned growers to avoid moisture stress during flowering and boll formation stages.

Regarding pest management, the committee reported patchy armyworm attacks in some areas and recommended spraying Levofuran on affected fields. Farmers were further advised to delay pesticide sprays as much as possible unless crops are under visible stress.

For protection against sucking pests, especially whitefly and jassid, experts recommended installing yellow sticky traps and applying approved pesticides only when pest populations cross economic threshold levels. To prevent Pink Bollworm infestation, growers were advised to install pheromone traps in fields during boll formation.

The committee also warned farmers to exercise caution, while spraying Glyphosate in Triple Gene cotton varieties to avoid crop damage and stressed the importance of weed control, gap filling and careful hoeing practices.

Reports of termite attacks were also discussed, with experts recommending the application of Chlorpyrifos and Fipronil through flood irrigation for effective control.

The meeting was attended by several departmental heads and scientists, including Sajid Mahmood, Dr. Muhammad Akbar, Dr. Muhammad Tariq, Dr. Rabia Saeed, Muhammad Azam and Dr. Asia Perveen. The next meeting of the advisory committee will be held on June 1.