Indian Journal of Agronomy 59 (4): 668__671 (December 2014)

Research Communication

Production potential and economics of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) hybrids

under different plant spacing and NPK levels
U.N. SHUKLA1, V.M. BHALE2, S.S. WANJARI3 AND V.A. KHADSE4

Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra 444 104

Received : March 2013; Revised accepted : October 2014

ABSTRACT
A field experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) season of 2008–09 to evaluate the production poten-
tial and economics of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) hybrids under different plant spacing and NPK levels. A clo-
sure spacing (60 cm × 60 cm) exhibited its superiority by recording higher sympodial branches/plant (16.4), lint
yield (345 kg/ha) and seed-cotton yield (910 kg/ha), whereas bolls picked/plant (12.9) and seed-cotton yield/plant
(38.2 g) were higher under wider spacing (90 cm × 60 cm). Among hybrids, ‘MLCH 318’ gave significantly higher
number of sympodial branches/plant (15.8), bolls picked/plant (14.7), seed-cotton yield/plant (42.1 g), lint yield
(407 kg/ha) and seed-cotton yield (1034 kg/ha) than ‘PKV Hy2’ and ‘VBCH 2231’. The maximum values of yield at-
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tributes, viz. sympodial branches (16.1), bolls picked/plant (13.3) and seed-cotton yield/plant (39.7 g), which re-
sulted significantly higher lint yield (393 kg/ha) and seed-cotton yield (972 kg/ha) under the highest fertility levels
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of 62.50, 31.25 and 31.25 kg N, P2O5 and K2O/ha over rest of NPK levels. The higher gross returns and net returns
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associated significantly with ‘MLCH 318’ ( 28,238 and 14,322/ha) when sown at 60 cm × 60 cm plant spacing
( 24,679 and 10,618/ha) with the highest fertility levels of 62.50, 31.25 and 31.25 kg N, P 2O5 and K2O/ha
( 24,206 and 10,134/ha), respectively, and coincided with the highest benefit: cost ratio. Harvest index did not
influence by the plant spacing, hybrids and NPK levels.

Key words : Crop production, Economics, Hybrids, NPK levels, Plant spacing, Yield, Yield attributes

The productivity of cotton depends on genetic potential cantly due to different spacing and fertilizer management
of hybrids, soil fertility and agronomical practices. It is (Tomar et al., 2002).
substantially required to fully exploit the production po- Imbalance in fertilizer application and decreasing soil
tential of a hybrids by standardizing some of the agro- quality could be one of the reasons for yield decline. Usu-
nomic practices particularly an optimum plant spacing ally a balanced optimum nutrient supply ensures optimum
with efficient and balanced fertilization of NPK, which not growth and ensures plant resistance which leads depletion
only influence the growth and development, but also affect of nutrients and minimizing long-term mining. An opti-
quality parameter of cotton, because of adequate crop ge- mum plant density and fertilizer management is quite nec-
ometry prevents inter-plant competition for resources essary to harvest good yield. Therefore, present field ex-
(Nehra et al., 2004). The declines in seed-cotton yield periment was planned to study the production potential
among small-scale farmers is attributed to several produc- and economics of cotton hybrids under different plant
tion constraints that include poor plant stand, imbalance spacing and NPK levels.
fertilizer application and low soil fertility. The situation is A field experiment was conducted at Cotton Research
aggravated by haphazard cropping density and lack and/or Unit, Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola,
inadequate replenishment of nitrogen, phosphorus and during the rainy (kharif) season of 2008. The climatic con-
potassium. Seed-cotton yield and lint yield varied signifi- dition of Akola is semi-arid and located at 22o 42’N and
77o 02’E. The rainfall was very scanty and erratic through-
out crop season, particularly from boll formation to first
Based on a part of M.Sc. thesis of the first author submitted to Dr.
PDKV, Akola, Maharasthra during 2009 (unpublished)
boll opening. The total rainfall received during the crop
1
Corresponding author Email: [email protected] season was 429.1 mm. The soil was medium black having
1
Assistant Professor, Agriculture University Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342 clayey textural class and was low in organic carbon
304; 2Dean-cum-Head, 3Associate Profesor; 4Assistant Professor, De- (0.39%) and available N (193.6 kg/ha), medium in P2O5
partment of Agronomy, Dr. PDKV, Akola, Maharashtra 444 104 (14.2 kg/ha), but high in K2O (492.0 kg/ha). The pH and
 December 2014] EFFECT OF SPACING AND NPK ON COTTON 669

electrical conductivity (ds/m) of the soil was 7.97 and lint yield and seed-cotton yield, 15.89%, 12.75% and
0.362 respectively. 15.16% higher over wider plant spacing (90 cm × 60 cm)
Eighteen treatment combinations, comprising 2 plant respectively (Table 1). This might be due to less availabil-
spacing (S1, 90 cm × 60 cm and S2, 60 cm × 60 cm) and ity of horizontal space and hence plant grows taller in re-
3 cotton hybrids (V1, ‘MLCH 318’; V2, ‘VBCH 2231’and spect of vertical space and produces more sympodial
V3,‘PKV Hy-2’) in main-plots and 3 fertility levels of branches/plant (Srinivasan, 2006). However, wider spac-
NPK (F1, 37.50, 18.75 and 18.75; F2, 50–25–25 and F3, ing (90 cm × 60 cm) produced approximately 9.79% and
62.50, 31.25 and 31.25 kg N, P2O5 and K2O/ha) in sub- 12.92% higher bolls picked/plant and seed-cotton/plant
plots were imposed in 3 times replicated splitplot design. respectively. Marked improvement in yield-attributing
Full dose of P2O5 and K2O and half dose of N were applied character was brought owing to the availability of photo-
basal to the cotton at the time of sowing as per treatments synthates to individual plant under wider spacing results in
and remaining N was applied at square stage 30 (DAE) formation of more fibres, which ultimately increased seed
around the plant. The sowing was done on 22 July as per cotton/plant ( Nehra et al., 2004).
spacing of the treatments through dibbling with required Variation in yield-attributing characters could be as-
seed rate of 4.5 kg/ha (hybrid) and plant population was cribed on account of their genetic capabilities to exploit
maintained by gap filling and subsequent thinning keeping available resources for their growth and development. Sig-
single plant/hill. Two hoeing and two hand weeding were nificant increase in sympodial branches/plant and bolls
done to keep crop–weed free and conserve soil moisture. picked/plant was recorded by ‘MLCH 318’ over ‘VLCH
Monocrotophos and Endosulphan (35 EC) plus Copper 2231’, it was at par with ‘PKV Hy 2’. ‘MLCH 318’ hybrid
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sulphate were sprayed twice to protect crop from sucking gave the highest seed cotton/plant, lint yield (407 kg/ha)
pest. Observations were recorded as per the established and seed-cotton yield, which was 33.58% and 11.50%,
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norms. Lint yield (kg/ha) was calculated by ginning per- 42.26% and 19.16%, 39.26% and 16.73% higher over
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centage multiply with seed-cotton yield (kg/ha) and di- ‘VLCH 2231’ and ‘PKV Hy 2’ respectively. The variations
vided by 100. All the data were statistically analyzed to in increase in yield might be due to variation in number of
draw a valid conclusion. The correlation and regression fruiting body (sympodia), cotton bolls and seed-cotton
studies were done to established cause and effect relation- weight/plant. Drought condition was prevailed up to 60
ship among yield attributes. DAE that affected growth and development of fruiting
The plants under closer spacing of 60 cm × 60 cm (S2) bodies, which was the main cause of low cotton yield dur-
produced significantly more sympodial branches/plant, ing experimental year. However, small amount of rainfall

Table 1. Average values of yield attributes, yield and economics of hirsutum hybrids of cotton as influenced by spacing, hybrids and NPK
levels

Treatment Sympodial Bolls Seed-cotton Lint Seed-cotton Harvest Gross Net Benefit :
branches/ picked/ yield yield yield index return return cost
plant Plant (g/plant) (kg/ha) (kg/ha) (%) (× 103 /ha) (× 103 /ha) ratio

Plant spacing(cm× cm)

90 × 60 13.7 12.9 38.2 301 772 50.2 20.6 7.3 1.54
60 × 60 16.3 11.7 33.2 345 910 46.2 24.6 10.6 1.74
SEm± 0.30 0.36 0.91 11 27 2.11 0.6 0.6 0.08
CD (P=0.05) 0.95 1.15 2.88 34 84 NS 2.1 2.0 0.17
Hybrids
‘MLCH 318’ 15.7 14.7 42.0 407 1034 50.7 28.2 14.3 1.82
‘VBCH 2231’ 14.0 8.4 27.9 235 628 46.5 16.1 2.6 1.34
‘PKV Hy2’ 15.3 13.8 37.2 329 861 47.4 22.5 9.9 1.72
SEm± 0.37 0.45 1.12 13 33 2.59 0.8 0.8 0.09
CD (P=0.05) 1.17 1.41 3.53 41 102 NS 2.6 2.5 0.21
NPK level (kg N-P2O5-K2O/ha)
37.5, 18.7 and 18.7 14.1 11.5 31.5 247 736 46.4 21.1 7.7 1.57
50, 25 and 25 14.8 12.1 36.0 330 815 48.6 22.6 9.0 1.62
62.5, 31.2 and 31.2 16.1 13.3 39.7 393 972 49.6 24.2 10.1 1.76
SEm± 0.41 0.09 0.54 15 32 2.47 0.3 0.2 0.06
CD (P=0.05) 1.20 0.28 1.58 45 92 NS 0.9 0.7 0.14
 670 SHUKLA ET AL. [Vol. 59, No. 4

Table 2. Interaction effect between plant spacing × hybrids on lint ing (Table 2). The results revealed that higher lint yield
and seed-cotton yield of cotton (kg/ha) and seed-cotton yield were given by ‘MLCH 318’, when
Lint yield (kg/ha) sown at closure plant spacing (60 cm × 60 cm). ‘MLCH
318’ could give significantly lint and seed-cotton yield
S×V ‘MLCH 318’ ‘VBCH 2231’ ‘PKV Hy2’ 38.59% and 47.60% higher then ‘VBCH 2231’, while
90 cm × 60 cm 345 181 377 40.29% and 18.83% higher over ‘PKV Hy 2’. Although
60 cm × 60 cm 469 288 280 closer plant spacing recorded 12.75% and 15.16% higher
SEm ± 19 lint and seed-cotton yield over wider plant spacing respec-
CD (P=0.05) 59 tively (Anand, 2006).
Seed cotton yield (kg/ha) Gross returns, net returns and benefit: cost ratio were
90 cm × 60 cm 900 643 772
60 cm × 60 cm 1,168 612 948
significantly higher under closer plant spacing of 60 cm ×
SEm ± 47 60 cm than that of wider spacing (Table 1). Our results
CD (P=0.05) 145 confirm the findings of Reddy and Gopinath (2008).
Among hybrids, significantly the highest gross returns, net
received during last week of October, which acted as life returns and benefit: cost ratio were obtained in ‘MLCH
saver for plant and enhance the growth and development 318’.
of fruiting bodies of cotton. Among NPK levels, higher gross returns and net re-
Fruiting bodies, lint and seed-cotton yield increased turns were the highest with 62.50, 31.25 and 31.25 kg N,
significantly with successive increase in levels of NPK up P2O5 and K2O/ha being 12.80% and 6.32% higher in gross
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to 62.50, 31.25 and 31.25 kg N, P2O5 and K2O/ha (Table returns, 23.47% and 11.14% higher in net returns over
1). Sympodial branches/plant, bolls picked/plant, seed- 37.50, 18.75 and 18.75 kg/ha (F1) and 50, 25 and 25 kg N,
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cotton yield/plant, lint yield and seed-cotton yield were P2O5 and K2O/ha (F2) respectively (Table 1). Similar trend
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significantly highest with application of 62.50, 31.25 and was observed with respect to benefit: cost ratio. The re-
31.25 kg N, P2O5 and K2O/ha (F3) over rest of the NPK sults confirms the findings of Reddy and Gopinath (2008).
levels. Lint and seed-cotton yields recorded under the Association among traits measured by correlation coef-
highest NPK level (F3) were 37.15% and 24.27% higher ficient revealed a significant and positive correlation
over lowest NPK level (F1); however, there were 16.03% (Table 3). Sympodial branches/plant, boll picked/plant and
and 16.15% higher over F2 respectively. This might be seed-cotton yield/plant were significantly and positively
owing to macronutrient particularly phosphorus and potas- correlated with lint yield and seed-cotton yield. Gross re-
sium that increased the efficiency of plant at reproductive turns and net returns also showed significant and positive
stage and involved in the translocation of photosynthates correlation with all yield and yield-attributing traits, viz.
towards boll formation site (Moola and Giri, 2006; sympodial branches/plant, bolls picked/plant, seed-cotton
Solanke et al., 2001). Neither the plant spacing nor the yield/plant lint yield and seed-cotton yield respectively.
fertilizer level influenced the harvest index of hybrids sig- However, boll picked/plant and seed-cotton/plant was
nificantly. positively correlated, but did not show significant correla-
The lint and seed-cotton yields were affected signifi- tion. Further, correlation and regression analysis accom-
cantly by the interaction effect of hybrids and plant spac- plished with regression equation, which showed that yield

Table 3. Correlation coefficient among yield attributes, yield and economics of cotton

Sympodial Bolls Seed-cotton Lint Seed-cotton Gross Net Benefit:

branches/ picked/ yield yield yield returns returns cost
plant plant (g/plant) (kg/ha) (kg/ha) (×103 /ha) (×103 /ha) ratio

Sympodial branches/plant 1.000**

Bolls picked/plant 0.469 1.000**
Seed cotton yield (g/plant) 0.445 0.946** 1.000**
Lint yield (kg/ha) 0.812** 0.799** 0.865** 1.000**
Seed cotton yield (kg/ha) 0.844** 0.828** 0.830** 0.971** 1.000**
Gross returns (× 103 /ha) 0.768** 0.824** 0.780** 0.896** 0.959** 1.000**
Net returns (× 103 /ha) 0.734* 0.871** 0.800** 0.876** 0.946** 0.991** 1.000**
Benefit: cost ratio 0.808** 0.852** 0.757* 0.874** 0.939** 0.963** 0.977** 1.000**

*P, 0.05; **P, 0.01

 December 2014] EFFECT OF SPACING AND NPK ON COTTON 671

Table 4. Correlation coefficient (r) and regression equations (R2) showing relationship between independent variables and dependent vari-
ables (** shows that correlation coefficient is significant at 0.01 level of significance).

Dependent variable Independent variable r R2 Response equation

Seed-cotton yield (kg/ha) Sympodial branch/plant 0.844** 0.712 Y= 0.006x+9.689

Boll picked/plant 0.828** 0.685 Y= 0.012x+2.249
Seed cotton weight (g/plant) 0.830** 0.688 Y= 0.029x+11.29
Gross return (× 103 /ha) 0.959** 0.919 Y= 0.025x+1.072
Benefit: cost ratio 0.939** 0.926 Y= 0.001x+0.685
Sympodial branchs/plant Seed-cotton weight (g/plant) 0.445 0.198 Y= 2.061x+4.695
Lint yield (kg/ha) Seed-cotton yield (kg/ha) 0.971** 0.942 Y= 2.076x+169.5
Lint yield (kg/ha) Seed-cotton weight (g/plant) 0.865** 0.679 Y= 1.514x+3.852
Boll picked/plant Gross returns (× 103 /ha) 0.824** 0.747 Y=0.064x+14.78

attributes, yield and economics was positively correlated (G. hirsutum) varieties to plant densities and fertilizer levels.
with each other (Table 4). Journal of Cotton Research and Development 20(1): 85–86.
Nehra, P.L., Nehra, K.C. and Kumawat, P.P. 2004. Performance of
The gross returns and seed-cotton yield were positively
Bt cotton hybrids at different spacings in canal command
correlated with correlation co-efficient of 0.919. This was area of North-Western Rajasthan. Journal of Cotton Re-
further supported by the regression analysis. Thus, unit search and Development 18(2): 189–90.
increase in seed-cotton yield caused increase in gross re- Reddy, P.R.R. and Gopinath, M. 2008. Influence of fertilizers and
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turns by 0.025 (× 103 /ha) (Table 4). Each unit increase plant geometry on performance of Bt cotton hybrids. Jour-
in seed cotton results in an increment in gross monetary re- nal of Cotton Research and Development 22(1): 78–80.
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Solanke, V.M., Turkhede, A.B., Katkar, R.N., Wankhade, S.T. and

turn was also reported by Katkar et al. (2000).
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Sakhare, B.A. 2001. Response of cotton hybrids to various

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