🌱 Climate and Soil Requirements
- Climate: Grows in tropical & subtropical regions | Ideal temp: 21–30°C | Frost-sensitive | Needs 150–200 frost-free days | Rainfall: 600–1200 mm | Dry weather at maturity ensures good fiber.
- Soil: Best in deep black cotton soils | Also grows in fertile alluvial & red loamy soils | pH 6.0–8.0 | Requires moisture-holding capacity.
🌿 Varieties
- Desi Cotton (short staple, hardy)
- American Cotton (medium staple, widely grown)
- Egyptian Cotton (extra-long staple, superior quality)
- Hybrid Cotton (high yield, better fiber)
- Bt Cotton (bollworm resistant)
🌱 Propagation
Propagated mainly by seeds, treated with fungicides/insecticides. Hybrid & Bt varieties are commonly used for high yield and pest resistance.
🌳 Planting
- Spacing: Normal: 75–90 × 30–45 cm | Hybrid: 100–120 cm row spacing.
- Seed Rate: Desi: 12–15 kg/ha | American: 15–20 kg/ha | Hybrid: 3–4 kg/ha.
- Season: Kharif (Jun–Jul, rainfed) | Irrigated (Apr–May or Sept).
🌾 Management Practices
- Thinning & Gap Filling: Ensure uniform population.
- Irrigation: 6–8 irrigations, critical at flowering & boll development.
- Weeding: Regular hoeing & interculture.
- Fertilization: 80–120 kg N, 40–60 kg P, 40–60 kg K/ha (varies by soil) + organic manure.
- Growth Regulation: Topping improves boll setting.
- Mulching: Retains moisture & suppresses weeds.
🐞 Pests and Diseases
- Pests: Bollworms (American, pink, spotted), aphids, jassids, whiteflies, thrips, mealy bugs.
- Diseases: Wilt, root rot, anthracnose, leaf curl virus.
- Management: Resistant/Bt varieties, crop rotation, timely sowing, biological & chemical control.
🍃 Harvesting
First picking after 5–6 months | 2–3 pickings at 15–20 day intervals | Hand picking ensures premium fiber quality | Pick only when bolls are fully open & dry.
📦 Processing and Yield
- Processing: Raw cotton → Ginning (separates lint from seed).
- Products: Lint (fiber for textiles), seed (oil & cattle feed).
- Yield: Desi: 800–1200 kg/ha | American: 1500–2500 kg/ha | Hybrid & Bt: 3000–4000+ kg/ha.