Evaluation of Different Planting Geometries and Fertilizer Application Rates for Water Productivity and Yield Attributes of Cotton under Surface Drip Irrigation

An experiment was conducted during Kharif 2017 under drip irrigation system in the field to evaluate the two different planting geometries (P1= 60 cm and P2=75 cm wide beds) and two fertilizer application rates (F1=100% and F2=75% of recommended NPK) for cotton productivity and yield related traits at Water Management Research Farm, Renala Khurd, district Okara, Punjab, Pakistan. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Net plot size was 9.0 m × 7.0 m and crop were sown on 60 cm and 75 cm wide beds with 30 cm plant to plant distance manually. Drip laterals were laid in small groves at the center of the beds. Crop variety FH-142 was sown on fifteenth May 2017. Irrigation schedule prepared on the basis of environmental data was used to irrigate the crop with drip irrigation system to maintain the moisture content in the soil. All other agronomic practices were kept uniform. Data were recorded for yield and yield parameters. Data collected was analyzed statistically using Fisher’s analysis of variance technique and by employing computer program Statistix 8.1. Least significance difference test at 5% probability level was evaluated to compare the treatment means. The results indicated that the combination of planting geometry P1 (planting at 60 cm wide beds) with fertilizer application rate F1 (100 % of recommended NPK) performed significantly better regarding cotton seed yield (4354 kg-1) than all other treatments. The crop sown on 60 cm wide beds with 100% of NPK also attained maximum plant height of 131cm, maximum number of bolls per plant (33.33) and the highest water productivity (0.78 kg m-3) for seed cotton yield. The highest boll weight (3.80 g) and plant population of 3.67m-2 were shown by the crop sown under treatment F1P1 and F2P1, respectively.