EFFECT OF SOWING METHODS AND TIME ON COTTON YIELD IN SALINE AREA OF BANGLADESH

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in a fanner's field at Tala Upzilla of Shatkhera district during the season of 2009·201 0 to evaluate cotton yield in saline soil under two sowing methods and time. The experiment was arranged in Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four treatments such as, Direct Seed Sowing in December (DSSD); Polybag Seed Sowing in December (PSSD); Direct Seed Sowing in February (DSSF); Poly bag Seed Sowing in February (PSSF) with three replications. Significant variation among the treatments were observed for plant shoot elongation rate, no. of vegetative branches per plant, single boll weight, days to first flowering and days to first boll splitting. Significant differences among the treatments were not seen for no. of primary fruiting branches per plant, no. of effective boll per plant and for seed cotton yield. Better plant establishment was exhibited in PSSD and PSSF where poly bag-seedlings were transplanted. DSSF and PSSF showed higher seed cotton yield (2.17 - 2.25 tlha) with earliness due to higher rate of initial plant shoot development up to 71 days after sowing (DAS) and with lowest values of vegetative branches per plant, days to first flowering and days to first boll splitting. Here the time of sowing was mainly responsible to make the result significant.