Evaluation of Various Cotton Cultivars for Seed Cotton Yield and Related Attributes at Different Nitrogen Levels

Abstract

Response of four cotton cultivars viz., CIM-598, CIM-599, CIM-602 and Ali akbar 703 to different nitrogen levels (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha^-1) was investigated during the cropping season 2014 at Cotton Research Station, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. Results revealed that application of N dominantly increased plant height, boll weight, number of bolls per plant and seed cotton yield but different cultivars responded differently in increase over control. The maximum seed cotton yield observed was 2579.65 kg ha^-1 and 200 kg ha^-1 was proved to be the best level for maximum seed cotton yield. Non-significant interaction was observed for all the studied parameters whereas cotton cultivars varied significantly (P≤0.05) for seed cotton yield on account of boll weight and number of bolls per plant. Overall maximum Seed cotton yield was observed in Ali akbar 703 (3093.26 kg ha^-1) at all N levels suggesting that it could be the promising cotton cultivar under the agro climatic conditions of Dera Ismail Khan and could be grown by supplying 200 kg N ha^-1. As steeply linear increase in all the studied attributes was recorded up to 200 kg N ha^-1, studies with further higher levels (beyond 200 kg N ha^-1) are suggested for confirmation of the present findings.

Keywords: Gossypium hirsutum; Cultivars; N levels; Seed cotton yield