Wheat Intercropping with standing Cotton Crop - Cropping Technology

Due to late cultivation of wheat and decrease in the area under wheat cultivation, the production of wheat is greatly being affected. This delay in the time of wheat sowing and reduction in area under wheat cultivation is due to cotton.  

There are certain factors which are not under the control of farmer, but there are certain factors which, the farmer can control for example, in time cultivation of wheat. The objective of the farmer is to complete the pickings from the cotton field and then sowing of wheat and as a result, the average yield is reduced. In this situation, a new technology has been introduced by the crop scientists, in which method of wheat cultivation in the standing crop of cotton has been explained.

Methodology of Wheat Inter cropping:

For the cultivation of wheat in the standing crop of cotton, the farmer should complete the picking of the cotton bolls which are ready for the harvest and then irrigate between the rows of cotton plant. To avoid losses and prevent late picking of cotton, it must be picked before this irrigation. In the mean time, the seed of wheat should be dipped in a water tub for 8 - 10 hours at the rate of 60 kg/ha. Later, broad this seed into the shallow irrigation water in the field. The rows of the field should remain wet for the next 10 days of broadcasting of seeds so that the emergence rate of the seed remains good.

 The phosphatic fertilizers required by the farmer should be applied in the irrigation water to the wheat. Since phosphatic fertilizers (for example, DAP) are not soluble in water so the following method should be adopted.

Solubilization of DAP in water for application in to the field:

Take 200 litre water drum, half fill it with water, add one bag of DAP, then add 2 -3 litres of dilute sulphuric acid into this drum and mix it some wooden stick or rod for sometime. In this way, the fertilizer will dissolve in water.

Mixing of fertilizer in the irrigation water:

Now according to the number of rows of crop per acre, this prepared solution of DAP should be applied to the field. During irrigation operation, when water has reached 15-20 feet in the field, then add this solubilized  fertilizer in the irrigation water at the head of field water course.

Alternate method of Fertilizer Application:

If this method of fertilizer application is complex then in the last week of December or start of January, when the last picking of cotton is complete; cut the sticks of cotton from the root level and remove them from the field. Afterwards, add phophatic and nitrogenous fertilizers in the required amounts in the wheat field.

Conclusion:

By the adoption of this culturing technique, the wheat sowing in the standing cotton is complete in time, as well as there will be considerable increase in the production of wheat and the continuous threat of lesser areas under wheat cultivation, can also be avoided.

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