Vol. 11, Issue 9 (2022)

Author(s):
VV Ujjainkar, SS Harne, VP Mane, Vanashri Hulke and YB Taide

Abstract:
Experiment with three upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) varieties viz., AKH-8828, AKH-09-5, AKH-9916 grown in RBD with five replications to record on growth, yield, microclimatic and physiological parameters of cotton sown at the distance 0-3 m (T₁), 3-6 m (T₂), 6-9 m (T₃) and control plot i.e., 12-15 m (T₄) distance from the teak row at 50% flowering, 50% boll bursting and Harvesting stage were recorded. The growth parameters of cotton viz., plant height (cm) and leaf area index, germination percentage (%), number of sympodia and number of monopodia were observed the highest in T₄ treatment at 12-15 m distance followed by T₃ treatment at 6-9 m distance and T₂ treatment at 3-6 m distance at three different growth stages. The yield parameters viz., number of bolls per plant, boll weight (g), seed cotton yield per plant (g), seed index (g), lint index, ginning (%) and harvest index (%) of cotton were the highest in T₄ treatment at 12-15 m distance followed by T₃ treatment at 6-9 m distance and T₂ treatment at 3-6 m distance. These yield parameters were the lowest observed in T₁ treatment at 0-3 m distance from the teak row at harvest stage. The biochemical parameters viz., chlorophyll content (mg/g), canopy temperature (°C) at morning and afternoon were observed the highest in T₁ treatment at 0-3 m distance followed by T₂ treatment at 3-6 m distance and T₃ treatment at 6-9 m distance teak-based agroforestry systems at three different growth stages. The study concludes that the effect of teak on growth and yield of cotton crop were reduced at 0-3 m and 3-6 m from the teak boundary plantation and highest yield and growth of cotton at 6 m onwards. This kind of investigation will helpful to farmers intending to adopt the agroforestry system.