Response of Bt cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) to irrigation and potassium fertilization under two tillage systems in a silty clay soil

ABSTRACT

Cotton yield and quality are constantly deteriorating in water limited and poorly drained silty clay soils. Farmers practice deep plowing and irrigate at 2-week interval, which is costly, degrading soil, and reduce cotton yield. A field study was conducted to evaluate the impact of tillage, irrigation intervals, and K (potassium) levels on cotton yield and quality. The experiment comprised main plot [reduced tillage (RT) and conventional tillage (CT)], subplot [irrigation intervals (2, 3, and 4-week)], and sub-sub plot treatments [K levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg K ha⁻¹)]. Experimental design was split-split-plot replicated thrice. RT with 4-week irrigation interval and K level can replace CT. RT with 4-week interval plus 150 kg K ha⁻¹ produced 25.6% more returns than CT. Four-week interval with 150 kg K saved 50% water and showed higher lint yield than 2-week interval. Four-week interval increased lint yield by 41% and 15.7% over 2- and 3-week intervals, respectively. The highest K level improved lint quality and produced 50.9% higher lint yield than zero K level. Lint quality increased with deficit irrigation and higher K levels. Thus RT, infrequent irrigation, and appropriate K level is a sustainable approach for economic production of cotton.

KEYWORDS:

• Tillage
• water
• lint yield
• lint quality

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.