Effect of planting density and nitrogen levels on productivity and N-use efficiency of rainfed upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) Venugopalan M.V., Blaise D. Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur, Maharashtra, 440010 Present address: National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Amravati Road, Nagpur, Maharashtra 440010
Abstract A field experiment was conducted during the rainy season of 1996 and 1997 on a shallow typic ustochrept to evaluate the response to N and plant density requirements for ‘CNH 36’ upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum. L.). The experiment was conducted in split-plot design with 3 planting densities (D1, 74,100; D2, 49, 400; and D3, 37,050 plants/ha) as main plots and 4 N (0, 50, 75, 100 kg N/ha) levels as subplots. At high plant population (D1), significant response could be obtained up to 75 kg N/ha and interaction of D X N was significant. The economic optimum dose at D1, D2 and D3 was 84, 88 and 62 kg N/ha respectively. The apparent recovery of applied N was highest with D, (31.3–47.6%), intermediate with D2 (29.5–31.8%) and least with D3 (17.8–26.8%). The petiole nitrate-nitrogen was low at higher planting densities. Top Keywords Upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum, Plant density, IM levels, N-use efficiency. Top |