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MULTAN, Apr 08 (APP):The first meeting of the Farmers Advisory Committee (FAC) for the cotton season was held at the Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) here on Tuesday,in which the growers were advised to complete cotton thinning within 30 days.
The meeting was chaired by Director Dr.Muhammad Naveed Afzal.
Experts stressed that cotton crops sown early and now 25–30 days old must undergo thinning immediately. Fertilizer application should be avoided before thinning.
After thinning,one bag each of DAP and SOP or MOP was recommended through irrigation or broadcasting.
For glyphosate-resistant varieties,glyphosate should be applied at 1000ml per acre before thinning using flat fan nozzles.
Farmers yet to sow cotton were advised to prepare land using chisel plowing and laser leveling for improved irrigation and fertilizer efficiency.
For fields with hard soil or leftover residues of crops like canola or maize,rotational and partial urea application were suggested to enhance fertility.
Soil testing before sowing and the use of approved cotton varieties purchased from certified sources were emphasized.
For bed-furrow sowing,4.5 to 5.5 kg delinted seed per acre was advised depending on seed germination rate,while 9 to 11 kg was suggested for drill sowing.In hot,dry regions,only delinted seeds should be used.
A plant population of 17,000 to 23,000 per acre with 9–12 inch spacing was ideal.
Pre-sowing herbicides such as Pendimethalin or S-Metolachlor should be applied to control weeds.
Seeds must be treated with Imidacloprid and Tebuconazole (10 ml/kg) and dried in shade before sowing.
Whitefly monitoring using yellow sticky traps (10 per acre) was recommended once the crop reaches 5 inches in height.
Farmers should avoid planting cotton near brinjal or okra and manage cotton stick heaps through regular turning and use of pheromone traps.
The meeting was attended by departmental heads including Sajid Mahmood, Dr. Rabia Saeed, Dr. Akbar, Dr. Farzana, Dr. Tariq, and others.
The next meeting was scheduled for April 16 at CCRI Multan.