Farmers Advised To Cultivate Certified BT Cotton Varieties

Deputy Director Agriculture (extension) Multan Dr Azwar Raza Gilani urged farmers to cultivate only certified seed of approved BT varieties of cotton to get enhanced production

MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Apr, 2024) Deputy Director Agriculture (extension) Multan Dr Azwar Raza Gilani urged farmers to cultivate only certified seed of approved BT varieties of cotton to get enhanced production.

During a visit to Qasba Ayazabad Marral and suburban areas to inspect early sown cotton here on Wednesday, he addressed gatherings of local farmers advising them to avoid pesticides application during the first 60 days of the early sown crop.

He said that farmers should apply appropriate insecticides to the seeds before sowing so that the crop could initially remain protected from sap-sucking insects, especially whiteflies, for about a month.

He further said that good preparation of land was important before cotton cultivation, for which sub-soiler plowing should be done to break the hard layer of the soil to improve its water retention capacity and the roots of the plant can get food.

"If planting was done by drill, keep the distance between the rows at two and a half feet. When the height of the crop becomes one and a half to two feet, leave one line of plants and spread soil on the other line," he advised.

He said that these initiatives would help ensure better use of fertilizers, save water and avoid loss in case of rain.

The DD Agriculture maintained that the crop cultivated between April 1 to 30, there should be 17500 plants per acre and from May 1 to 30, the farmers must ensure plant population at 23000 plants per acre.