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EFFECT OF PICKING DATES ON SEED GERMINATION, GIN TURN-OUT, SEED INDEX AND STAPLE LENGTH IN GOSSYPIUM HIRSUTUM L.

ZAHEER AHMED DEHO, S. LAGHARI, S.ABRO, M.A.ARAIN, M.HUSSAIN, S.A. ABRO AND FAKHRUDDIN

Abstract: The cotton seed germination is significantly affected in the humid agro-ecological zone of southern Sindh. Present investigations were carried out to determine the impact of different picking dates on traits like seed germination percentage, lint ratio, staple length (mm) and seed indices under fluctuating levels of temperature and humidity. Results of different picking dates revealed that seed cotton picked on dates i.e., 22/09 and 06/10 had high germination percentages of 90.93  and 94.23, respectively than those seed cotton picked on 15/09, 13/10 and 20/10. Seed indices (g) values i.e., 8.06g, 7.85g, and 8.01g,7.85g obtained during 1^st and 2^nd differed significantly from the seed indices values i.e., 5.27-5.7g, obtained from picking dates of 06/10, (5.29-5.43g) during picking on 13/10 and 5.20-5.4g for seed cotton picked on 20/10. The staple length (mm) and gin turn out percentage values showed variety wise higher and lower plasticity in all picking dates.

Plant Genetics Division Nuclear Institute of Agriculture (NIA), Tando jam, Pakistan.