Effect of Land Configurations and Stress Management on Growth and Yield of Bt Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Hybrid under Rainfed Condition

Abstract

The experiment was laid out in split plot design which consisted of nine treatment combinations comprising of three treatments of land configurations as a main plot and three treatments of stress management as a sub plot and were replicated three times. The land configurations consist of L1-Sowing on flat bed, L2-Opening of ridges and furrow at 30 DAS and L3- Sowing on broad bed furrow and three stress management treatment of S1- water spray , S2-Foliar spray of Salicylic acid @ 100 ppm at 5 leaf (35 DAS) stage and 50 % flowering (55 DAS), S3- Foliar spray of Potassium nitrate (KNO3) 2% at flowering (55-60 DAS) and boll formation (75-80 DAS) stage were included in the investigation. The gross and net plot size were 7.2m x 5.4 m and 4.8 m x 4.5 m respectively. The crop was sown as per treatments with spacing 120 x 45 cm. Besides yield data, periodical observations were recorded on growth and yield contributing characters. On the basis of present Studies result revealed that among land configuration sowing on broad bed furrow i.e., BBF was found to be significantly superior over rest of the land configurations in respect of various growth attributing characters of Bt cotton hybrid viz., plant height, leaf area plant-1 (dm2), No. of monopodial and sympodial branches plant-1, dry matter plant-1 (g), In respect of various stress management practices, foliar spray of Potassium nitrate (KNO₃) 2% at flowering (55-60 DAS) and boll formation (75-80 DAS) resulted in higher plant height (cm), No. of monopodial and sympodial branches plant-1,leaf area plant-1 (dm2). sowing of Bt cotton on broad bed furrow and application of foliar spray of Potassium nitrate (KNO₃) 2% at flowering (55-60 DAS) and boll formation (75-80 DAS) was found more efficient for increasing the growth attributes under rainfed condition.