Cotton Cultivation Guidelines Issued For Better Yield

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published April 28, 2025 | 08:11 PM

The Punjab Agriculture Department has urged cotton farmers to expedite planting, as the second phase would conclude on April 30

MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Apr, 2025) The Punjab Agriculture Department has urged cotton farmers to expedite planting, as the second phase would conclude on April 30.

According to official sources, to prevent pest resistance, the department advised sowing at least 10% of the cultivated area with non-Bt cotton varieties alongside Bt types. Farmers are strongly encouraged to adopt ridge cultivation, either mechanically or manually after creating ridges. For drill sowing, a row spacing of 2.5 feet is recommended, with earthing up to form ridges when plants reach 1.5 to 2 feet in height. Ridge cultivation facilitates weed control, improves fertilizer use efficiency, conserves water, and mitigates rain damage.

The department also emphasizes the importance of soil testing for fertilizer application. However, the full amount of phosphorus and "potash" fertilizers, along with one-fourth of the nitrogen fertilizer, should be applied at land preparation or after thinning if not applied earlier. Nitro-phosphate is recommended for post-thinning application, preferably dissolved in irrigation water. For early sowing, the remaining nitrogen should be applied in 4-5 splits, and for seasonal sowing, in 3-4 splits.