Low cost drip – aptness and viability as a precision irrigation tool in Bt cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivation.

Abstract

Adoption of drip system in ha land of cotton is higher. In view of this it was proposed to develop/standardize a low cost drip system through rigorous testing procedures for optimum efficacy under farm situation and higher profitability. Therefore a field trial was conducted consecutively for three years from 2004 to 2007 at CICR, Coimbatore for comparisons of microtube and polytube - 150, 300 and 450 micron (u) thickness - against the existing drip/conventional ridges-furrow irrigation. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized block design replicated five times. Results showed that the existing drip system resulted in maximum seed cotton yield (2.71 t/ha) and economics being at par with those obtained under low cost microtube drip systems and poly-tube systems (150, 300 and 450 u thickness) found significantly superior to ridge-furrow irrigation with respect to seed cotton yield. Existing drip system has high annual irrigation cost (Rs.12,594/ha) and it was the least in polytube of 150 u (Rs 7, 273/ha). Moderately higher yield (2.62 t/ha) with all the positive effects (of drip) along with lower cultivation cost (Rs 27,190/ha) were incurred in poly tube drip system with 150 u and ultimately resulted into higher net return (Rs 38,310/ha) and B:C ratio (2.41).