RESPONSES OF COTTON (Gossypium hirsutum L.) TO SUPPLEMENTARY IRRIGATION AND NITROGEN FERTILIZER RATES

RESPONSES OF COTTON (Gossypium hirsutum L.) TO SUPPLEMENTARY IRRIGATION AND NITROGEN FERTILIZER RATES

Abstract:

Investigations to evaluate the response of cotton to supplementary irrigation at various stages of growth under different levels of nitrogen were carried out in 1987 at Kadawa Irrigation Research Station, Kano (lat. 11°30’N, Long. 8°30’E). Supplementary irrigation was given as follows: Pre-sowing irrigation, pre-sowing plus pre-flowering, presowing plus post-flowering and pre-sowing plus pre-flowering plus post-flowering irrigations each at nitrogen levels of 0, 40 and 80 kg/ha. Growth characters, yield components and yield of cotton were all statistically similar in the irrigated crop but significantly higher than the control. Only one pre-sowing irrigation produced the highest! seed-cotton yield (3,770kg/ha) that was 5 4% more than the control. Further increase in irrigation levels resulted in reduction of seed cotton yield. Nitrogen application positively increased vegetative characters, yield components and seed-cotton yield. Application of 40 kg N/ha yielded 3,189 kg seed-cotton per hectare which was 16% higher than the control. There was no significant yield advantage by increasing nitrogen level from 40 to 80kg/ha

RESPONSES OF COTTON (Gossypium hirsutum L.) TO SUPPLEMENTARY IRRIGATION AND NITROGEN FERTILIZER RATES