Deshi Cotton Growth and Yield Response to Skip-row Planting in Combination with Intercrops

The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with seven treatments and three replications. Field experiment was carried out during the kharif season of 2018-19 at post graduate research farm, college of agriculture, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Maharashtra. Measurements were taken for growth parameters (plant height, leaf area plant-1, Number of sympodial branches and dry matter accumulation) and yield components (number of picked bolls per plant, weight of seed cotton per boll, yield of seed cotton and stalk ha-1) of deshi cotton. Results showed that plant height of cotton was influenced due to different intercrops at 60 DAS, except at 30 DAS. Intercrops viz., green gram, black gram, soybean and sesamum did not show any influence on plant height of cotton. However, pearl millet reduced plant height of cotton drastically and shown its dominance. Similar trend was observed in respect of leaf area plant-1 of cotton as regards to pearl millet. Dry matter accumulation in cotton was influenced during flowering stage only. Planting cotton with solid sole and sole skip row techniques resulted in better dry matter accumulation. Cotton grown as either sole or with intercrops recorded similar total number of picked bolls of cotton. Average weight of seed cotton per boll was higher in skip row planting of cotton + sesamum (2:1). Sole skip row planting of cotton registered the highest seed cotton yield (1966.48 kg ha-1). Skip row planting of cotton + sesamum (2:1) recorded highest stalk yield (2828.54 kg ha-1). It can be concluded that growth and yield parameters of deshi cotton drastically reduced when intercropped with pearl millet compared to other intercrops, and it is advisable to avoid intercropping hybrid pearl millet with cotton.