Influence of moisture conservation practices and integrated nutrient management practices on yield, quality and economics of Bt cotton

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at College farm, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Hyderabad. During kharif 2015-16 and 2016-17. The experiment was laid out in strip-plot design with three replications to study the effect of moisture conservation practices and integrated nutrient management treatments and their integration effect on yield maximiation, quality and economics of Bt cotton. The treatments comprised of four moisture conservation treatments viz., Flat bed sowing, ridge and furrow, broad bed and furrow (BBF) and poly mulch on BBF, while the sub plot treatments consisted of integrated nutrient management practices viz. farmer’s practice, 100% RDF (150:60:60 NPK kg /ha), 125% RDF, 100% RDF along with 25% N through FYM and 100% RDF along with 25% N through press mud. Pooled data of two years indicated that poly mulch on broad bed increased the yield (2183 kg ha-1), quality and net returns followed by ridge and furrow method, broad bed and furrow and flat bed methods respectively during both the years of experimentation. Among the nutrient management practices, application of 100% RDF along with 25% RDN through press mud improved the yield (2103 kg/ha), quality and net returns. Application of 100% RDF along with press mud equivalent to 25% RDN was on par with (S4) 100% RDF + 25% RDN through FYM (2042 kg ha-1) and S4 was in turn on par with 125% RDF (1990 kg ha-1) followed by (S1) farmer’s practice (1785 kg ha-1) and (S2) 100% RDF (1676 kg ha-1).The highest net monetary returns and benefit cost ratio was recorded with application of 125% RDF which was at par with application of 100% RDF+ 25% RDN through pessmud. Treatment combination involving poly mulch on broad bed was more effective when RDF applied along with pressmud or FYM or 125% RDF alone.