Sustaining rainfed Bt cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) productivity through moisture conservation and integrated nutrient management techniques

Field studies were carried out at Department of Agronomy, Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani during, 2007 to 2010 to explore the suitability of different soil moisture conservation and integrated nutrient management (INM) techniques in relation to yield and economics of Bt cotton under rainfed conditions. The results revealed that opening of furrow in alternate row recorded significantly highest seed cotton yield (2758, 2214 and 1452 kg/ha) as compared to cotton+straw mulching (2421, 2003 and 1233 kg/ha) and intercropping of cotton with soybean (2036, 1626 and 1106 kg/ha) treatments during the three year of experimentation respectively. However, intercropping of cotton+soybean recorded significantly highest seed cotton equivalent yield and thereby net returns and B:C ratio over wheat straw mulch and opening of furrow in alternate row. As regards to integrated nutrient management (INM) 100 per cent calculated RDF (100:50:30 N, P2O5 and K2O kg/ha)+micronutrients (zinc, iron and boron) based on soil test recorded significantly highest seed cotton yield as compared to all other INM treatments. However, application of RDF with soil testing (75 per cent N, P2O5 and K2O kg/ha through inorganic+25 per cent N, P2O5 and K2O kg/ha through vermicompost) was next best treatment which recorded significantly highest seed cotton yield over rest of the treatment