Many people don’t know about the white gold of India. So in this
article we discuss about the Indian white gold in detail. Other name of white gold is cotton. Here we know same basic cultivation practice
of cotton in India.
Botanical Name of cotton- Gossypium spp.
Family- Malvaceae.
Chromosome No.- 2n= 26.
Cotton is backbone of textile industry. Its providing employment
to 60 million people in India. About 45% world fibre need is met from cotton
and 10% of world edible oil. Lint is around 30%of kapas.
It is primarily cultivate
for lint. And row cotton is also used for medical and surgical purpose. It is
also used for high grade paper, rayon, films, explosives. Cotton stalk is the
main biomass available in the field after the harvest of cotton. Seed crushed for edible oil, cakes and meals are excellent
cattle feed.
Origin of white gold:-
Old cotton with ‘A’ genome may be from southern Ethiopia. Gossypium
arboreum and Gossypium herbaceum called
as desi cotton.
New world cotton ‘D’ genome Gossypium barbadense, Gossypium
hirsutm.
Cotton has been used as a fabric in India from time immedrial. It
has been cultivated in the Indus Valley for more then 5000 years.
Geographical distribution:-
Cotton is the most important fibre crop of the world cultivated
over an area of 31.1 million hectare with the total production 52.1 million tones of seed cotton (1999).
The important cotton growing countries are India, USA, Russia,
China, Brazil, Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, Mexico and Sudan.
India ranks first in the world in respect of acreage with about
8.7 million hectare under cotton and forth in the total seed cotton production.
Cotton growing states of India-
v
Northern India- Punjab, Haryana, north-west
Rajasthan & west UP.
v
Central- Maharashtra, Haryana, Gujarat & south
Rajasthan.
v
South India- Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh &
Tamil- Nadu.
American cotton was grown on 2.48 lakh hectares in Punjab during
2021-21. Total production was 10.14 lakh bales with average yield 6.94 quintals
lint per hectare.
About Plant:-
Tap root system and grown more than 1.6m.
Leaf- Spirally arranged on the main stem.
Fruiting Structure- Begin as flower bud or square. After flowering
becomes a fruit called boll.
Soil & Climate Requirement:-
Climate requirement-
A daily minimum temperature of 16 degree celsius is require for germination. Optimum
temperature for vegetative growth is 21-27 degree celsius. For fruiting a day temperature
of 27-30 degree celsius with large diurnal variaties and cool night are needed.
It tolerate temperature as higher as 43 degree celsius , but does
not well if the temperature falls below 21 degree celsius. Well distributed
seasonal rainfall. And open sunny weather require
Soil requirement-
Cotton can be successfully grown
an all soils except the sandy, saline and waterlogged soil and black soil is
best for the cotton. A soil to a depth of not less than 60 cm. Cotton needs a
fertile soil with good moisture holding capacity.
Ph 6.0- 7.0 should be
essential.
Crop Rotation/ Cropping System:-
Cotton- wheat/barley, sotton-sunflower, cotton- senji/berseem/oat,
cooton- raya, cotton- sunflower, cotton- paddy, cotton- wheat.
Some Improved Varieties:-
PAU Bt1
PAU Bt 2- Inbuilt resistant to American bollworm and spotted.
Average seed cotton yield is 10.0 q/acre. Tolerant to jassid and cotton leaf
curl disease.
PAU Bt3 (2022)- Resistant against spotted and American ballworms.
It average seed cotton is 10.2 q/acre. It tolerant to jassid and cotton leaf
curl disease.
Hybrid Varieties:- Dhan laxami,
Fateh, LDH-11, LHH-144, LD- 694 etc.
Desi Varieties:- LD-230,
LD-327, LD-491 etc.
Land Preparation:-
Cotton is deep rooted crop and required well prepare seed bed.
After the harvesting of preceding crop, should be ploughed 15-20 cm deep with
mould board plough. Thereafter three or four harrowings, four to five ploughing
with local plough should be given. Tow pre- sowing irrigations at short
intervals are more beneficial than giving same water in one irritation. A fine seed bed is essential for
securing a good plant stand.
Timing Of Sowing:-
Sow the crop during 1april to 15 may. Timely sowing of cotton is
the single key factor to influence the cotton yields. Hence sowing should be
done with in the most optimum time, as
sowing earlier and later than the normal time results in considerable reduction in cotton
yield.
Sowing during this period ensures better yield and escapes the attack
of insect pests and disease. Sowing should be done in morning and evening hours.
Seed Treatment:-
Mix 100g commercial grade concentrated sulphuric acid with 1kg
cotton seed in plastic container by
stirring it vigorously for two to three minutes with a thick wooden stick. As
soon as possible the fuzz get dissolved add 10 liters of water, stir well and drain out water through the perforated
plastic basket.
Repeat washing three times to make the seed free from sulphuric
acid residue. Dip the washed sed for about one minutes in sodium bicarbonate
solution. (12.5g sodium bicarbonate in 2.5 liters of water) to neutralize the acid residue on the cotton seed.
Seed Rate and Space:-
A seed rate of 15-25kg/hectare in case of American cotton and
10-18kg/ hectare in case of desi cotton
is recommended.
A space of 60cm X 45cm for American cotton and 60cm X 30 cm for
local cotton. The plant population should be between 50,000 to 80,000 plants/
hectare.
Water Management:-
The application of irrigation to cotton depend upon the frequency
and intensity of rains. 4-6 irrigation are require.
First irrigation should be given 4-6 week after sowing as delayed
irrigation helps in preventing the plants from making excessive vegetative
growth.
Weed Management:-
Basalin@ 1kg/hectare.
Diuron@ 0.5-1.0kg/ hectare.
Alachlor@ 1.5- 3.0kg/ hectare.
Fertilizer Application:-
In hybrid varieties dose
require 120-150kg@ nitrogen, 60-75kg@
phosphorus and potassium.
Add 15-20 tons of farm yard manure (FYM) in the field.
Hafe dose of nitrogen at thinning and remaining half at the flower
stage. Apply 400g boron (4kg) per acre.
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