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EFFECT OF SOWING DATES AND PLANT SPACING ON GROWTH AND DRY MATTER PARTITIONING IN COTTON (GOSSYPIUM HIRSUTUM L.)

HAKOOMAT ALI^**, M. NAVEED AFZAL^* AND DILBAUGH MUHAMMAD^*

Abstract: Among agronomic factors, sowing time and plant spacing are considered key management components in any cropping system to harvest a profitable seed cotton yield. Thus, the present studies were conducted to determine the effects of sowing date and plant spacing on growth and yield of cotton under an arid sub-tropical continental climate during 2004-05. Result indicated better yield responses and reproductive vegetative ratio (RVR) in early sown cotton at high plant density. For crop growth rate (CGR) and relative growth rate (RGR), different plant responses were observed. Early sowing showed the highest CGR50 and RGR50 while at late sowings, CGR100 or CGR150 was highest. Correlation analysis and Path analysis were carried out to understand the effect of different plant traits on seed cotton yield under optimum plant spacing (15cm) and sowing dates (10-May). Both conditions indicated highest association of seed cotton yield with number of bolls per plant and reproductive/vegetative ratio. On the other hand boll weight showed negative association with seed cotton yield. However, path analysis showed the highest direct effect of reproductive/vegetative ratio on seed cotton yield under early sowing dates (10-May). Furthermore, highest correlation of boll number with seed cotton yield was also due to indirect effects through RVR. On the other hand, reproductive dry matter showed highest direct effect on seed cotton yield under high plant density (15cm).

^*Department of Agronomy, Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan, Pakistan

^**Department of Agronomy, University of Bahaudin Zakriya, Multan, Pakistan