Farmers Should Prefer BT Cotton For Cultivation: Experts

Agriculture experts here advised the growers to prefer cultivation of BT Cotton varieties along with 10 percent area of non-BT cotton crops to save it from pest attacks

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Apr, 2021 ) :Agriculture experts here advised the growers to prefer cultivation of BT Cotton varieties along with 10 percent area of non-BT cotton crops to save it from pest attacks.

A spokesman of agriculture extension department said Saturday that the government had set a target of cultivating 200,000 acres with cotton this year and for this purpose the agriculture department was also providing subsidy of Rs.1000/- per bag of approved and certified cotton seed and the farmers can purchase cotton seed from Punjab Seed Corporation on subsidized rates.

He said that cotton cultivation commenced from 1st April and farmers should choose fertile land for cotton cultivation. They should also cultivate approved BT Cotton varieties including IUB-13, MNH-886, BS-15, NIAB-878 and FH-142 along with non-BT varieties on 10 percent area so that resistance of BT varieties could be made strong against pest attack.

He said the farmers should use 6-8 kilogram such cotton seeds which had more than 75% germination. They should also apply recommended pesticide to the seed before sowing it so that the crop could be protected from pest attack.

The farmers must ensure number of plants to range from 15,000 to 17,500 on one acre if the cotton was cultivated from 1st April to 20th April and plant number should be 17,500 to 20,000 if the crop was cultivated from April 21 to May 10.

The growers should take up first watering after 30-35 days of crop cultivation while remaining watering should be ensured with an interval of 12 to 15 days, he added.