MULTAN: The Farmers Advisory Committee (FAC) has recommended that cotton growers focus on post-sowing measures to achieve desired production and increase per acre yield. The committee also advised growers to pay attention to the number of plants per acre. These recommendations were finalized at the fourth fortnightly meeting at the Central Cotton Research Institute Multan, chaired by CCRI Director Dr. Muhammad Naveed Afzal on Friday.
The FAC meeting recommended that growers should weed as soon as possible after sowing, with the recommended number of plants in the field being 23,000 to 25,000. Those who have not yet cultivated cotton should complete the process by May 15, checking seed growth before planting and increasing the seed rate if growth is less than 60%. Additionally, the FAC recommended the use of light-balanced fertilizers and gypsum in case the tube well water is brackish. Farmers were also advised to use a laser land leveler when preparing the soil, as a smooth field not only conserves water but also improves germination and protects crops from diseases.
The recommendations also addressed the issue of scorching cotton plants in some areas, attributing this problem to the lack of seed treatment and low temperatures. In case of plant scorching, farmers were advised to mix 300 grams of copper oxychloride with 300 grams of agrimycin in 100 liters of water and spray with foliar. Weeds were identified as a problem in fields after rains, with integrated control methods recommended for weed management. Cotton farmers cultivating glyphosate-resistant varieties should spray 1 liter of glyphosate after 25 to 30 days and complete the weeding process within seven days after spraying.
During pruning, farmers were instructed to remove weak, diseased, and infected plants. It was emphasized that after weed control and weeding, fertilizers should be applied to meet the plants’ nutritional requirements. For crops that have begun fruiting, balanced fertilizers should be used, along with adequate water. After weeding, farmers were advised to apply one sack of SOP and one sack of DAP fertilizers per acre. Additionally, growers were encouraged to prepare a solution containing magnesium sulfate, iron sulfate, boron, and zinc for foliar spray per acre.
To protect cotton crops from insects and diseases for 30 to 40 days, farmers were advised to use insecticides and fungicides such as imidacloprid and tebuconazole mixture at 10 ml per kg of seed. Yellow sticky traps should be set at a rate of 10 per acre when the cotton crop reaches 6 inches to prevent whitefly attacks. Monitoring for pink bollworms was also recommended for growing crops, with the application of sex traps at a rate of 5 per acre for monitoring and 8 sex traps per acre for prevention.