Enhancing cotton crop productivity and soil health through cotton stalk residue management techniques in dry farming condition
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/jefa.2026.21.1.22Keywords:
Cotton stalks, incorporation, decomposting, irrigation, surface burning, ex-situ, dry farming.Abstract
A field experiment was conducted over kharif (June-December), 2015 to 2022 at main Dry Farming Research Station, Junagadh Agricultural University, Targhadia (Rajkot), Gujarat, India to investigate the impact of recycling cotton stalks on cotton yield and yield attributes in such conditions. The experiment consisted of five main plot treatments viz., S1: removal of cotton stalks from plot, S2: surface burning of cotton stalks, S3: incorporation of cotton stalks using rotavator, S4: incorporation cotton stalks using mobile chopper and S5: ex-situ composting of cotton stalks using shredder and three sub plot treatments viz., D1: one irrigation for decomposting, D2: one irrigation + addition of N @ 10 kg ha-1 through urea + compost culture @ 5 kg ha-1, and D3 : addition of N @ 10 kg ha-1 through urea + compost culture @ 5 kg ha-1 at sowing. The stalks management practice S5 (ex-situ composting of cotton stalks using shredder) recorded maximum seed cotton yield (1770 kg ha-1). Whereas, effect of de-composting practices on yield attributes and seed cotton yield was found non-significant. However, the maximum seed cotton yield (1631 kg ha-1) was recorded under decomposting practice D2 (one irrigation + addition of N @ 10 kg ha-1 through urea + compost culture @ 5 kg ha-1). Incorporating cotton stalks positively affected soil fertility leading to improved plant growth and yield. Additionally, the study discussed the potential benefits of this practice in enhancing sustainability and productivity in dry farming systems.
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