Influence of fertilizers’ application on available nutrients in soil, uptake pattern, growth and yield of BT cotton under Rainfed condition

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to assess the influence of fertilizers application on nutrients’ availability in soil, uptake pattern, and growth and yield of bt cotton under rainfed condition in kharif season of 2011-2012. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with ten treatments (T1 to T10) and replicated thrice. Data on available nutrients N, P, K, S, Zn, B, and Mg in soil, uptake pattern of N-P-K and growth parameters were collected. The application of fertilizers significantly influenced the soil nutrients availability, uptake pattern and growth parameters as well as seed cotton yield. Available nutrients N, P, K, S, Zn, B, Mg in soil, Uptake pattern of NPK and biometric observations and yield of cotton were highest with nutrient combination of T10 (Recommended dose for Bt cotton.(125:62.5:62.5)+S), except available P in T5 (N+P+K), Mg, T2 (RDF P + Potassium)and Zn T9 (Recommended dose of nitrogen + phosphorus + potassium + sulphur + magnesium + zinc +boron (spray)). Therefore, T10 followed by T9 was found to be preventive for cotton reddening. Treatment T10 produced highest seed cotton yield (19.22 q ha-1) followed by T9 (19.04 q ha-1). Therefore, considering plant pigments yield, T10 can be recommended for growing of Bt cotton under rainfed condition.