Evaluation of impact of foliar sprays of potassium nitrate (KNO3) on yield and economics of Bt cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) through front line demonstrations

摘要

Cotton is one of the most important commercial fibre crops of India. Imbalance and inadequate nutrition is one of the major constraints for low productivity of cotton. Superimposition of KNO3 (1%) over recommended dose of fertilizers through foliar applications at flowering and boll development stage is recommended in Haryana state to overcome K deficiency at later stages of crop growth and farmers are not practicing this technology due to lack of knowledge. Therefore, to highlight the impact of three foliar sprays of KNO3 (1%) at 15 days interval starting from flower initiation stage, forty one Front Line Demonstrations were conducted at farmer's field on 16.4 ha of land area of 20 villages of Bhiwani district (Haryana) during kharif seasons of 2010 to 2012. The improved technology recorded a mean cotton seed yield of 24.67 q/ha which was 10.8% higher than that obtained with farmers practice/check, i.e. no spray of KNO3 (22.27 q/ha). It fetched higher mean net monetary returns of (sic)55053/ha with benefit: cost ratio of 2.03 in comparison to check (mean net monetary returns of (sic)47079/ha and benefit: cost ratio of 1.91).