Effect of different canopy management and mulching practices on growth and yield parameters of Bt cotton under drip fertigation

A field experiment was conducted at Agriculture Research Station, Ekarjuna, under Dr. PDKV Akola, during 2023-24, to find out the effect of different canopy management and mulching practices on growth and yield parameters of Bt Cotton under drip fertigation. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. Results indicated that no canopy management treatment C1-Control (134.46 cm) at boll development stage recorded significantly highest plant height over the canopy management treatments (C2- Monopodia removal at 60 days after sowing and detopping at 75 days), (C3- Monopodia removal at 60 days after sowing and spraying of Mepiquat Chloride 5% w/w at 75 days after sowing) and (C4- Spraying of Mepiquat Chloride 5% w/w at 75 days after sowing). Number of leaves plant-1(155.13), leaf area plant-1 (31.22 dm2), leaf area index(6.91), number of sympodial branches plant-1(19.92), total dry matter plant-1 (141.20 g), canopy temperature at boll development stage and number of bolls plant-1(37.33), average boll weight (5.28 g) and seed cotton yield plant-1 (197.54 g) at harvest were significantly highest in (C3- Monopodia removal at 60 days after sowing and spraying of Mepiquat Chloride 5% w/w at 75 days after sowing) over no canopy management treatment. Polythene mulching practice significantly recorded highest plant height(135.86 cm), number of leaves plant-1(170.17), leaf area plant-1(29.35 dm2), leaf area index(6.83), number of sympodial branches plant-1(19.42), total dry matter plant-1(151.45 g) at boll development stage and number of bolls plant-1(37.33), average boll weight (4.88 g) and seed cotton yield plant-1(182.90 g) at harvest recorded significantly highest over other mulching practices. Among the interactions of canopy management and different mulching practices, treatment combination of monopodia removal at 60 days after sowing and spraying of Mepiquat Chloride 5% w/w at 75 days after sowing + Polythene mulching significantly highest number of leaves plant-1(173.33), leaf area plant-1(33.23 dm2), leaf area index(7.24), number of sympodial branches plant-1(22.60), total dry matter plant-1(166.80 g)at boll development stage and number of bolls plant-1(40.67), average boll weight(5.64 g) and seed cotton yield plant-1(229.24 g) at harvest recorded significantly highest over all other treatment combinations.