Evaluation of yield, yield components and incidence of CLCV disease through planting times and varietal interaction in cotton in the Multan region

Abstract

Five Bt cotton varieties were evaluated for five different parameters (plant height, number of bolls per plant, boll weight, seed cotton yield and CLCV incidence after 105 days of planting) under six different sowing times (01 March, 15 March, 01 April, 15 April, 01 May and 15 May) at CCRI, Multan during the year 2018.Results revealed highly significant differences among the varieties, sowing times and their interaction for all the traits under study. Regarding sowing times, highest yield (3676 kg/ha) was produced when the sowing was done on 01 March followed by March 15 sowing (3496 kg/ha) with 4.3 and 6.1 CLCuV incidence% respectively after 105 days of sowing.However, lowest yield of 2483 kg/ha was achieved through 15 May planting with 96.7% CLCuV incidence. Regarding varietal performance, CYTO-313 excelled all other varieties by producing 3356 kg/ha seed cotton yield followed by CIM-343 (3195 kg/ha) with CLCuV percent incidence of 53.1 and 50.9 respectively at 105 days of planting.It was concluded from the present investigations that first March sowing is the optimum sowing time with zero percent CLCuV incidence for Multan region. Furthermore, variety CYTO-313 should be given primacy on other four varieties when farmer is going to adopt first March sowing.