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IMPACT OF DIFFERENT NITROGEN LEVELS ON COTTON GROWTH, YIELD AND N-UPTAKE PLANTED IN LEGUME ROTATION

A.M. KUMBHAR, U.A. BURIRO, S. JUNEJO, F.C. OAD, G.H. JAMRO, B.A. KUMBHAR AND S.A. KUMBHAR

Abstract: A series of experiments were conducted at Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with factorial arrangement consisting four replications and repeated in the 2nd year. The treatments consisted crop two sequences [(C1= Cotton (before legume) and C2= Cotton (after legume)] and varying fertility levels (F1=150-50, F2=100-50 and F3=150-50 NP Kg ha-1). The berseem was cultivated as leguminous crop in the sequence. The crop sequences revealed that the cotton crop sown after legume produced tall plants (99.41 cm), higher production of monopodia plant-1 (2.68), sympodia plant-1 (14.10), more bolls plant-1 (24.83), heavier seed index (6.83 g), maximum GOT (34.47%), better staple length (28.83mm), higher oil content (22.87%), superior seed cotton yield (2428 kg ha-1) and N-uptake increased upto 91.17 kg ha-1. The incorporation of NP fertilizer significantly affected crop parameters. Among the tested fertilizers, 150-50 NP kg ha-1 recorded maximum plant height (102.63 cm), monopodia plant-1 (2.61), sympodia plant-1 (13.70), bolls plant-1 (26.40), seed index (6.83g), GOT (34.57%), staple length (28.65mm), oil content (23.10%), seed cotton yield (2538.25 kg ha-1) and N-uptake (113.43 kg ha-1). It is concluded that nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are essential nutrients, but for maintenance of soil fertility and enhancement of crop productivity the inclusion of leguminous crop at least once in a two year cropping sequence is necessary, because leguminous crops enrich soil fertility by fixing environmental nitrogen in their root nodules, which in turn supply residual food nutrients to the succeeding crop. Thus, (i) continuous cropping in the sequence of wheat-cotton be avoided, (ii) the higher yields of cotton and wheat could be achieved in the farming system which includes legumes in crop rotation, (iii) the application of 150-50 NP kg ha-1 is sufficient for satisfactory yield and qualitative characters of cotton and (iv) the use of in-organic nitrogenous fertilizers could be minimized by succession of legume crop in the crop sequence.

¹Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam-70060, Pakistan
²National Sugar Crops Research Institute (NSCRI), Thatta
Email: majeedkumbhar@yahoo.com