Effect of Different Levels of Zinc on the Growth and Yield of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L) Crop

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different levels of zinc on the yield and growth of cotton in the field of Agronomy section ARI, Tandojam during the Kharif Season 2014. Seeds of cotton were sown in rows 75 x 30 cm in row and plant spacing in soil with four replications in Randomized Complete Block Design. Six zinc levels i.e. untreated 0.0, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, 12.5 and 15.0 kg ha-1 were evaluated. The results reveals that plant height, number of sympodia plant-1, number of productive bolls plant-1, fibre length, G.O.T (%) and seed cotton yield kg ha-1 affected significantly by the zinc levels, while plant population and number of monopodial branches were not affected. Application of zinc from 5.00 to 15.00 showed similar effect. However, control resulted different in taller plants (130.55 in), while application of 15.00 kg zn ha-1 produced maximum sympodia (16.35 plant-1) however productive bolls were more at 10.00 kg zn ha-1 (50.30 plant-1). The staple length was maximum (27.00 mm) at 7.5 kg zn ha-1, while G.O.T% was greater (38.28%) at 5.00 kg zn ha-1, whereas maximum seed cotton yield was recorded at 7.5 kg zn ha-1 (2556.70 kg ha-1). For the trait of seed cotton yield plant1, there was no any difference between applications of zinc sulphates 5.00 to 7.5kg ha1.