ABSTRACT

Cotton yield and quality are constantly deteriorating in water limited and poorly drained silty clay soils. Farmers practice deep plowing and irrigate at 2-week interval, which is costly, degrading soil, and reduce cotton yield. A field study was conducted to evaluate the impact of tillage, irrigation intervals, and K (potassium) levels on cotton yield and quality. The experiment comprised main plot [reduced tillage (RT) and conventional tillage (CT)], subplot [irrigation intervals (2, 3, and 4-week)], and sub-sub plot treatments [K levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg K ha⁻¹)]. Experimental design was split-split-plot replicated thrice. RT with 4-week irrigation interval and K level can replace CT. RT with 4-week interval plus 150 kg K ha⁻¹ produced 25.6% more returns than CT. Four-week interval with 150 kg K saved 50% water and showed higher lint yield than 2-week interval. Four-week interval increased lint yield by 41% and 15.7% over 2- and 3-week intervals, respectively. The highest K level improved lint quality and produced 50.9% higher lint yield than zero K level. Lint quality increased with deficit irrigation and higher K levels. Thus RT, infrequent irrigation, and appropriate K level is a sustainable approach for economic production of cotton.

摘要

棉花产量和质量在缺水和排水不良的粉质粘土土壤中不断恶化。农民每两周进行一次深耕和灌溉，成本高，土壤退化，棉花产量下降。进行了一项实地研究，以评估耕作、灌溉间隔和 K（钾）水平对棉花产量和质量的影响。试验包括主地块 [减耕 (RT) 和常规耕作 (CT)]、子地块 [灌溉间隔（2、3 和 4 周）] 和子子地块处理 [K 水平（0、50、100 , 和 150 kg K ha ^-1 )]。实验设计是分裂-分裂-小区重复三次。4 周灌水间隔和 K 水平的 RT 可以代替 CT。RT 以 4 周为间隔加 150 kg K ha ^-1产生的回报比 CT 高 25.6%。使用 150 kg K 的 4 周间隔可节省 50% 的水，并且比 2 周间隔显示更高的皮棉产量。在 2 周和 3 周的时间间隔内，4 周的间隔分别使皮棉产量增加了 41% 和 15.7%。最高 K 水平提高了皮棉质量，并且比零 K 水平产生的皮棉产量高 50.9%。皮棉质量随着灌溉不足和 K 水平升高而提高。因此，RT、不频繁灌溉和适当的钾水平是棉花经济生产的可持续方法。