Abstract

                                The present study aimed to assess the effect of macronutrient mixtureson growth and yield of cotton, in farmer’s field, Deenampalayam taluk ofCoimbatore district, Tamil Nadu. The treatments comprised of NPK fertilizermixtures having different nitrogenous fertilizers (urea, Calcium Nitrate (CN)),phosphatic fertilizers (Single Superphosphate (SSP)), potassic fertilizers(Muriate of Potash (MOP), Sulfate of Potash (SOP)), NP (Di-ammoniumPhosphate (DAP), Mono Ammonium Phosphate (MAP), Ammonium SulfatePhosphate (ASP)) with control. Application of CN + DAP + MOP (T5) as NPKsources to meet out the recommended dose of fertilizers for cotton registeredmaximum plant height (124.9 cm), number of sympodial branches (12.9),leaf area index (2.84), and dry matter production (8888 kg ha-1) at bollbursting stage of the crop. Highest kapas yield of 2118 kg ha-1 was recordedby the treatment T5, followed by T7 (Urea + DAP + CN + SSP + MOP) (1957kg ha-1). Plants supplied with treatment T5 registered highest number ofbolls (39.5) and boll weight (7 g). With regard to B:C ratio, highest B:C ratioof 1.70 was obtained with multiple sources of nitrogenous, phosphaticfertilizers and MOP (T7).

Key words : Macronutrient mixture; Kapas yield; Fertilizer sources; Calcium nitrate