sumit ambani
New Member
i want to know kapas farming.
and also know which type of land need in kapas (cotton) farming.
and also know which type of land need in kapas (cotton) farming.
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kapas farming
- Thread starter sumit ambani
- Start date
HI
Cotton requires black soil for its growth.
Since organic cotton production warrants the cultivation in the absence of agro-chemicals, it involves a careful selection of components of farming system keeping the local resources, agro-climatic features and socio-economic structure for the formation of a suitable package as follows:
1] Selection of site
Fields with high degree of soil erosion and heavily infested with perennial weeds should not be put under organic farming. Organic farming is not a farming by neglect or arm-chair cultivation and so, fertility levels of less fertile soils should be improved through organic means before opting for this type of cultivation.
2] Varietal selection
High yielding varieties, which respond well to chemical inputs, may not always be suitable for organic farming. Instead, varieties which are hardy and capable of giving acceptable farming especially in the early phase of conversion are ideal. Varieties, which are jassid-tolerant, can be preferred over susceptible ones. Early maturing varieties are less exhaustive and will also help the crop to escape heavy bollworm damage.
3] Seed rate and sowing
Acid delinted seeds cannot be used according to international norms [e.g.IFOAM] for organic cultivation for the purpose of certification of the fibre. However, those farmers who pursue organic farming for reducing the cost of cultivation and to increase the profitability could use acid-delinted seeds in order to avoid seed borne pathogenic infections and achieve optimum plant stand. If fuzzy seeds are used, however, higher seed rate is to be used in order to achieve the same goal. About 25 kg/ha of seeds at 75x15 cm spacing ensures a final plant population of 85-90 thousand plants/ha. One row of fodder cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) should be drilled between two rows of cotton. This crop could be ploughed down and buried in soil just before its flowering.
4] Manuring
To realise economical production, soil fertility has to be maintained and gradually improved. Improvement and maintenance of organic matter of the soil is important in organic cotton production, as this would increase physical parameters of soil, improve soil structure and enhance nutrient supply. Since huge amounts of FYM to meet nutrient requirement of the cotton crop is not generally available, a combination of sources with different biological properties should be preferably used. Organic manures (FYM, compost, Vermicompost), in situ green manuring, cowpea and biofertilisers along with fertility restoring crop rotations form the components for maintaining soil fertility.
a] Farm yard manuring [FYM]
FYM @ 15 t/ha must be added before preparatory tillage and mixed thoroughly. FYM should be well decomposed and should be preferably treated with composting organisms such as Trichoderma viride. The rate may gradually be brought down 5-10 t/ha, once the farm yield stabilises over a few years.
b] Fodder cowpea
In situ green manuring with fodder cowpea and its burying at 40 days after sowing [DAS] will ensure a steady N supply during the grand-growth phase and flowering period, when the N demand peaks up in the crop. It hastens microbial activity in soil, reduces weed growth and enhances natural enemy build up.
This provides around 400-500 kg dry matter per hectare with 2.5% N and contributes 10-12 kg N/ha during squaring. Its additional benefits include smothering of weeds, controlling seasonal soil erosion and nurturing natural enemies of cotton pests.
c] Dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata)
Dense stand of this legume can be raised around cotton field at a width of 2 m; its lopping cut and spread between cotton rows at 65-70 DAS. Its fast decomposing leaves provide N during early boll development period and stalks act as temporary mulch, preventing soil moisture evaporation.
d] Vermicompost
Vermicompost @ 1-2 t/ha should be added supplementing FYM on the furrow lines on which sowing is done. Its nutrient composition varies with substrate that is verrmicomposted, but generally contains several diverse microflora that aid in good plant growth. It offers good scope for recycling of farm waste.
e] Biofertilisers
Seed inoculation of Azatobactor or Azospirillum @ 200 g/seed required for sowing one acre is recommended.
Cotton stalks are burnt as fuel after picking of seed cotton is over. This residue together with farm wastes from other crops and weeds can effectively be utilised for preparing compost, through the use of beneficial fungi like Trichoderma viride. The technique, as developed at CICR, Nagpur is briefly described.
In a pit of 10 x 2 x 1m in size, dried cotton stalks from 2 hectare area are filled in four layers interspersed with other soft farm waste, such as sorghum stubble, linseed straw and soybean pod-haulms (to fill the gaps in between cotton stalks) and 50 kg of cow dung (to provide a soft substrate for initial multiplication of the fungus). Each layer was sprinkle inoculated with 2.5 kg T.viride wettable powder in 60 litre water mixed with half-kilogram jaggery and 15 g yeast. The pit is finally covered with one foot layer of sunhemp stalks for checking water loss. Periodic watering is made to maintain sufficient moisture in the pit and turning of the top layer at least once during the decomposition process.
In the span of four months, most of the cotton stalks are converted into compost, the rest (20%) being black, brittle, semi-decomposed stalks. This compost is comparable to well-decomposed vermicompost. It could be used for nutrient recycling, antagonistic fungus against certain soil-borne pathogens, viz., Fusarium spp., Rhizoctonia spp. etc.
6) Weed Management
Fields not infested with perennial weeds such as Cyperus sp. (Motha), Cyanodon dactylon (Doob) and Sachharum sp. (Kans) are preferred for organic farming as these are difficult to control. However, if such weeds occur in patches, their underground propagatory structures (stolons, rhizomes etc.) must be exposed by summer cultivation and manually removed. Mechanical/manual weeding as per existing practice may be adopted. Composting can recycle the weeds removed. It must be ensured that the FYM, compost added is completely decomposed, otherwise many seeds of annual weeds, introduced through FYM, will germinate and aggravate the weed problem. Growing a crop of cowpea between 2 rows of cotton will also suppress the early emerging weeds.
7) Selection of Rotations
Crop rotations play a very important role in restoring soil fertility and minimising damage due to insect pests and weeds. High nutrient-exhaustive rotations must be avoided and instead rotations with a legume that is recommended for the locality may be adopted.
Regards
Ashwini
Cotton requires black soil for its growth.
Since organic cotton production warrants the cultivation in the absence of agro-chemicals, it involves a careful selection of components of farming system keeping the local resources, agro-climatic features and socio-economic structure for the formation of a suitable package as follows:
1] Selection of site
Fields with high degree of soil erosion and heavily infested with perennial weeds should not be put under organic farming. Organic farming is not a farming by neglect or arm-chair cultivation and so, fertility levels of less fertile soils should be improved through organic means before opting for this type of cultivation.
2] Varietal selection
High yielding varieties, which respond well to chemical inputs, may not always be suitable for organic farming. Instead, varieties which are hardy and capable of giving acceptable farming especially in the early phase of conversion are ideal. Varieties, which are jassid-tolerant, can be preferred over susceptible ones. Early maturing varieties are less exhaustive and will also help the crop to escape heavy bollworm damage.
3] Seed rate and sowing
Acid delinted seeds cannot be used according to international norms [e.g.IFOAM] for organic cultivation for the purpose of certification of the fibre. However, those farmers who pursue organic farming for reducing the cost of cultivation and to increase the profitability could use acid-delinted seeds in order to avoid seed borne pathogenic infections and achieve optimum plant stand. If fuzzy seeds are used, however, higher seed rate is to be used in order to achieve the same goal. About 25 kg/ha of seeds at 75x15 cm spacing ensures a final plant population of 85-90 thousand plants/ha. One row of fodder cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) should be drilled between two rows of cotton. This crop could be ploughed down and buried in soil just before its flowering.
4] Manuring
To realise economical production, soil fertility has to be maintained and gradually improved. Improvement and maintenance of organic matter of the soil is important in organic cotton production, as this would increase physical parameters of soil, improve soil structure and enhance nutrient supply. Since huge amounts of FYM to meet nutrient requirement of the cotton crop is not generally available, a combination of sources with different biological properties should be preferably used. Organic manures (FYM, compost, Vermicompost), in situ green manuring, cowpea and biofertilisers along with fertility restoring crop rotations form the components for maintaining soil fertility.
a] Farm yard manuring [FYM]
FYM @ 15 t/ha must be added before preparatory tillage and mixed thoroughly. FYM should be well decomposed and should be preferably treated with composting organisms such as Trichoderma viride. The rate may gradually be brought down 5-10 t/ha, once the farm yield stabilises over a few years.
b] Fodder cowpea
In situ green manuring with fodder cowpea and its burying at 40 days after sowing [DAS] will ensure a steady N supply during the grand-growth phase and flowering period, when the N demand peaks up in the crop. It hastens microbial activity in soil, reduces weed growth and enhances natural enemy build up.
This provides around 400-500 kg dry matter per hectare with 2.5% N and contributes 10-12 kg N/ha during squaring. Its additional benefits include smothering of weeds, controlling seasonal soil erosion and nurturing natural enemies of cotton pests.
c] Dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata)
Dense stand of this legume can be raised around cotton field at a width of 2 m; its lopping cut and spread between cotton rows at 65-70 DAS. Its fast decomposing leaves provide N during early boll development period and stalks act as temporary mulch, preventing soil moisture evaporation.
d] Vermicompost
Vermicompost @ 1-2 t/ha should be added supplementing FYM on the furrow lines on which sowing is done. Its nutrient composition varies with substrate that is verrmicomposted, but generally contains several diverse microflora that aid in good plant growth. It offers good scope for recycling of farm waste.
e] Biofertilisers
Seed inoculation of Azatobactor or Azospirillum @ 200 g/seed required for sowing one acre is recommended.
Cotton stalks are burnt as fuel after picking of seed cotton is over. This residue together with farm wastes from other crops and weeds can effectively be utilised for preparing compost, through the use of beneficial fungi like Trichoderma viride. The technique, as developed at CICR, Nagpur is briefly described.
In a pit of 10 x 2 x 1m in size, dried cotton stalks from 2 hectare area are filled in four layers interspersed with other soft farm waste, such as sorghum stubble, linseed straw and soybean pod-haulms (to fill the gaps in between cotton stalks) and 50 kg of cow dung (to provide a soft substrate for initial multiplication of the fungus). Each layer was sprinkle inoculated with 2.5 kg T.viride wettable powder in 60 litre water mixed with half-kilogram jaggery and 15 g yeast. The pit is finally covered with one foot layer of sunhemp stalks for checking water loss. Periodic watering is made to maintain sufficient moisture in the pit and turning of the top layer at least once during the decomposition process.
In the span of four months, most of the cotton stalks are converted into compost, the rest (20%) being black, brittle, semi-decomposed stalks. This compost is comparable to well-decomposed vermicompost. It could be used for nutrient recycling, antagonistic fungus against certain soil-borne pathogens, viz., Fusarium spp., Rhizoctonia spp. etc.
6) Weed Management
Fields not infested with perennial weeds such as Cyperus sp. (Motha), Cyanodon dactylon (Doob) and Sachharum sp. (Kans) are preferred for organic farming as these are difficult to control. However, if such weeds occur in patches, their underground propagatory structures (stolons, rhizomes etc.) must be exposed by summer cultivation and manually removed. Mechanical/manual weeding as per existing practice may be adopted. Composting can recycle the weeds removed. It must be ensured that the FYM, compost added is completely decomposed, otherwise many seeds of annual weeds, introduced through FYM, will germinate and aggravate the weed problem. Growing a crop of cowpea between 2 rows of cotton will also suppress the early emerging weeds.
7) Selection of Rotations
Crop rotations play a very important role in restoring soil fertility and minimising damage due to insect pests and weeds. High nutrient-exhaustive rotations must be avoided and instead rotations with a legume that is recommended for the locality may be adopted.
Regards
Ashwini