In view of wheat crop the treatment F_6’ 50 %N through organic + 50% N through fertilizer + PK adjusted to 100 % RD gave significantly higher grain yield (with pooled yield 42.9 q/ha) over F_1’ Absolute control; F_2’ 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer and F_4’ 100 %RDF +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 % and remained statistically at par with rest of the treatments. It might be due to residual effect of integration of organic and inorganic fertilizers applied during previous cotton crop, which increased the ancillary characters and ultimately yield. The highest net return of Rs 48330/ha with cost benefit ratio of 3.123 was recorded with F_5’ 100 %R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo₄ /ha +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 % and lowest was in F_1’ absolute control.

Introduction: - Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum l.) is one of the most important fibre crops of India. But now days, the production of this crop is declining since the advent of high yielding varieties in Canal command area of north-west Rajasthan (Anonymous 2002-03). For getting maximum production, farmers are in practice of using more & more chemical fertilizers. Under such a situation, it is essential to evolve and adopt a strategy of integrated nutrient management by using a judicious combination of chemical fertilizers and organic manures which may not only increase production but also improve soil health for sustaining the productivity of hirsutum cotton under cotton-wheat cropping system. Deficiency of zinc has become wide spread due to this reason, response of primary nutrients is not being observed. With the application of zinc sulphate, yield was significantly improved over the recommended dose of fertilizer alone (Blaise and Singh, 2004). Keeping in view the above points, the present investigations were initiated.

Experimental procedure: - The experiments were conducted during the kharif & rabi seasons of 2003-04, 2004-05 & 2005-06 on sandy loam soil with status of low in nitrogen, medium in phosphorus & high in available potash at the Agricultural Research Station, Rajasthan Agricultural University, Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, India. An experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replication comprising seven treatments viz., F_1’ Absolute control; F_2’ 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer (80:40:20); F_3’ 100 %R.D.F +25 kg ZnSo₄ /ha; F_4’ 100 %RDF + Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 %; F_5’ 100 %R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo₄/ha + Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 %; F_6’ 50 %N through organic +50 %N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 %RD and F_7’ 25%N through organic +75 %N through fertilizer + PK adjusted to100 % RD. The G. hirsutum cotton variety RS-2013 was sown by dibbling 2-3 seeds/hill at a spacing of 67.5 x 30 cm in the first fortnight of May during all the crop seasons. Well rotten farmyard manure (FYM) was applied 15-20 days before sowing and different nutrients were applied as per treatments in cotton crop. The data on plant height, boll weight and number of bolls/plant were recorded from randomly selected five plants from each plot and seed cotton yield was recorded on per plot basis. Adequate plant protection measures were taken as per recommendations.

The wheat variety Raj-3077 was sown in the second fortnight of November during all the three crop seasons with a row spacing of 20 cm. Recommended dose of nitrogen (120 kg/ha.) and phosphorus (40 kg/ha.) was applied through urea & DAP in all the treatments. Half dose of nitrogen and full dose of phosphorus were applied as basal and remaining dose of nitrogen was top-dressed at first irrigation.

Results and Discussion Growth parameters

The data presented in table-1 revealed that treatment F_5’ 100 % R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo₄ /ha +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1% significantly increased plant height over F_1’ Absolute control; F_2’ 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer; F_4’ 100 %RDF + Boron two foliar spray at 0.1% and F_7’ 25%N through organic +75 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD and remained statistically at par with F_3’ 100 %R.D.F +25 kg ZnSo₄/ha and F_6’ 50 %N through organic +50 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD. Different INM treatments did not influence the number of sympods, monopod branches/plant and plant stand /ha.

Yield and yield attributes

The pooled data in table-2 revealed that treatment F_5’ 100 %R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo₄ /ha +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1% significantly increased seed cotton yield over F_1’ Absolute control; F_2’ 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer; F_4’ 100 %RDF + Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 % and F_7’ 25%N through organic +75 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD and remained statistically at par with F_3’ 100 %R.D.F +25 kg ZnSo₄ /ha and F_6’ 50 %N through organic +50 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD. The higher seed cotton yield under this treatment might be due to higher growth parameters as well as yield attributing characters like number of bolls/plant, boll weight. Application of Zn increased the seed cotton yield, number of bolls/plant and boll weight consequently in three years in cotton-wheat cropping system (Mathur, 2005). Rattan et al. (1997) have also reported the rise in Zn deficiency and he concluded that the response to zinc sulphate ranged from 0 to 0.78 tonnes/ha. Zinc sulphate is now included as a part of the fertilizer recommendation in the most of the part of India.

Nutrient uptake

The data presented in table-3 revealed that treatment F_5’ 100 %R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo₄ /ha +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 % recorded maximum NPK uptake and lowest was recorded in absolute control. The value of N, P and K uptake under this treatment was 119.2, 17.9 and 110.4. N, P and K kg/ha, respectively Fibre quality parameters

Fibre length, Uniformity %, Micronaire value, Strength g/tex, Elongation % and Short Fibre Content % have been recorded but the parameters were not influenced by different treatments (table-4). Similar results have been reported by Blaise et. al. 2005 and Mathur and Matish Chandra, 2005.

Effect on wheat crop

Growth and yield attributing characters

The critical examination of data (table-5) revealed that residual effect of treatment F_6’ 50 %N through organic + 50 % N through fertilizer + PK adjusted to 100 % RD significantly increased plant height, effective tillers/metre row length and test weight over F_1’ Absolute control and remained statistically at par with rest of the treatments. Whereas, ear length and number of grains/spike did not influenced significantly with all the treatments.

Yield

On the basis of three years pooled data, presented in table-6 indicated that residual effect of treatment F_6’ 50 %N through organic + 50% N through fertilizer + PK adjusted to 100 % RD gave significantly higher grain yield (with pooled yield 42.9 q/ha) and straw yield over F_1’ Absolute control; F_2’ 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer and F_4’ 100 %RDF +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 % and remained statistically at par with rest of the treatments. It might be due to increased ancillary characters and residual effect of integration of organic and inorganic fertilizers applied during previous cotton crop. Integrated nutrient supply is also known to improve water use efficiency and physical condition of soils in respect to structure, granules, friability and porosity and provide balanced nutrient supply to the crop (Das, 1996).

Nutrient uptake

The data of pooled analysis of nutrients uptake (NPK) presented in table –7 revealed that treatment F_6’ 50 %N through organic +50 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD was found significantly superior over F_1’ absolute control and it was at par with F_7’ 25%N through organic +75 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD in respect of N & at par with rest of the treatments in respect of P₂O₅ and at par with F_3’ 100 %R.D.F +25 kg ZnSo₄ /ha; F_5’ 100 %R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo₄ /ha + Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 % and F_7’ in respect of K₂O.

Economics

The gross return, net return & cost benefit ratio of the total crop sequence was also recorded and data reveals that highest net return of Rs 48330/ha with cost benefit ratio of 3.123 recorded with F_5’ 100 %R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo₄ /ha + Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 % closely followed by F_6’ 50 %N through organic +50 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD and F_3’ 100 %R.D.F +25 kg ZnSo₄ /ha and lowest was in F_1’ absolute control (Table 8).

Conclusion

On the basis of three years pooled data it is concluded that treatment F_5’ 100 %R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo₄ /ha + Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 % would be better for getting higher yield as well as net monetary returns/ha in canal command area of north west Rajasthan, India.

References

Anonymous, 2002-03. Annual report- All India Coordinated Cotton Improvement Project. CICR – Regional Station, Coimbatore-pp: 4-5.

D. Blaise, J.V. Singh, A.N. Bonde K.U. Tekale and C.D. Mayee, 2005. Effect of farmyard manure and fertilizers on yield, fibre quality and nutrient balance of rainfed cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). Bioresource Technology 96 (2005) 345-349.

D. Blaise and V. V. Singh, 2004. Agronomic management for sustainable cotton production in central India. “National Symposium on Changing World Order- Cotton Research, Development and Policy in Context.” Souvenir CRDA, CCS HAU, Hisar, pp-16-20.

J, Singh, 2003. Optimizing nutrient supply in relation to moisture for enhanced productivity and stability of rainfed cotton based production system. Annual report 2002-03, RCPS-2, NATP (RF), CICR, Nagpur.

D.K. Das, 1996. Introductory Soil Science. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi pp.-392.

R. K.Rattan, S. P. Datta, N. Saharaa and J. C. Katyal,1997. Zinc in Indian agriculture-A look forward. Fertilizer News 42 (2): 75-89.

G.M.Mathur and Matish Chandra 2005. Effect of Zn on the production and quality of hirsutum cotton under north-west irrigated region. National Seminar on cotton “Present Scenario and Future Strategies” Organized at CIRCOT, Matunga, Mumbai on 24^th Sep. 2005, pp-50-53.

Table 1. Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth parameters of hirsutum cotton.

Treatments	Plant height (cm)			Monopods/plant			Sympods/plant			Plant stand/ha
	03-04	04-05	05-06	03-04	04-05	05-06	03-04	04-05	05-06	03-04	04-05	05-06
F1 - Absolute control	91	127	118	6.0	6.7	6.3	13.7	12.3	11.8	42550	40590	42925
F2 - 100 % Recommended Dose of Fertilizer	116	141	145	9.5	8.8	8.2	15.1	13.8	12.6	42929	40871	42834
F3 - 100 %R.D.F +25 kg ZnSo4 /ha	130	152	154	9.7	8.7	8.8	15.7	14.4	13.8	42194	41039	41827
F4 - 100 %RDF + Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 %	120	146	146	9.3	8.6	8.5	15.3	14.0	13.2	42500	40323	42497
F5 –100 %R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo4/ha +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 %	133	155	156	8.3	7.6	8.6	18.0	16.7	16.5	42932	41026	41666
F6 - 50 %N through organic +50 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	120	154	155	9.0	8.3	8.2	15.7	14.3	14.0	42132	40532	41787
F7 – 25%N through organic +75 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	118	145	146	8.7	8.0	7.8	16.3	14.5	14.9	41953	41319	42415
CD at 5%	12.73	8.29	6.50	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS

Table. 2. Effect of integrated nutrient management on yield and yield attributing characters of hirsutum cotton

Treatments	Seed cotton yield (q/ha)				No. of bolls/plant			Boll Weight (g)
	03-04	04-05	05-06	Pooled	03-04	04-05	05-06	03-04	04-05	05-06
F1 – Absolute control	9.42	16.98	11.07	12.49	18.27	20.30	28.7	2.00	2.00	1.95
F2 -100 % Recommended Dose of Fertilizer	11.93	21.48	13.77	15.73	25.00	29.67	37.3	2.25	2.25	2.15
F3 - 100 %R.D.F +25 kg ZnSo4 /ha	14.09	26.14	16.62	18.95	31.00	35.70	46.0	2.45	2.49	2.38
F4 - 100 %RDF +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1%.	12.43	22.26	14.12	16.27	26.33	30.20	39.7	2.32	2.27	2.18
F5 -100 %R.D.F+25kg Zn So4/ha+Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1%	14.50	27.26	17.65	19.80	32.33	38.50	48.3	2.50	2.62	2.53
F6 -50 %N organic +50 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	13.11	25.80	15.92	18.28	26.93	35.30	46.7	2.36	2.54	2.35
F7 - 25%N organic +75 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	12.20	23.76	15.25	17.07	25.47	29.70	39.0	2.28	2.41	2.25
CD. at 5%	2.01	3.14	2.29	2.35	5.65	3.58	7.5	0.17	0.20	0.18

Table3. Effect of integrated nutrient management on nutrient uptake kg/ ha in cotton.

Treatments	N uptake kg/ha.			P2O5 uptake kg/ha.			K2O uptake kg/ha.			Pooled uptake kg/ha.
	03-04	04-05	05-06	03-04	04-05	05-06	03-04	04-05	05-06	N	P2O5	K2O
F1 - Absolute control	53.4	63.3	53.5	6.6	7.7	12.4	45.2	69.4	62.0	56.7	8.9	58.9
F2 - 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer	78.3	89.2	79.5	10.2	10.3	18.4	85.5	90.7	73.6	82.3	13.0	83.3
F3 - 100 %R.D.F +25 kg ZnSo4 /ha	104.6	110.0	113.4	13.7	13.4	18.9	105.7	103.3	83.6	109.3	15.3	97.5
F4 - 100 %RDF +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 %	82.3	97.2	101.9	11.2	12.6	17.6	90.6	94.7	83.0	93.8	13.8	89.4
F5 –100 %R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo4/ha +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 %	109.5	117.3	130.9	14.7	14.3	24.6	113.2	107.7	110.3	119.2	17.9	110.4
F6 - 50 %N through organic +50 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	97.5	107.3	92.0	12.5	13.9	20.0	96.6	105.3	100.6	98.9	15.4	100.8
F7 – 25%N through organic +75 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	81.4	93.4	85.0	10.8	12.8	20.2	89.4	96.0	84.3	86.6	14.6	89.9
CD at 5%	13.15	10.37	11.40	1.47	2.36	3.80	11.25	10.33	10.10	11.64	2.54	10.56

Table 4. Effect of integrated nutrient management on fibre quality parameters of hirsutum cotton

Treatments	2.5 % SL		UNIF %		MIC value		STRENGTH g/tex		ELONG %		SFC %
	04-05	05-06	04-05	05-06	04-05	05-06	04-05	05-06	04-05	05-06	04-05	05-06
F1 - Absolute control	24.67	25.7	51.00	50	4.83	4.7	19.03	21.4	6.53	5.8	14.80	13.7
F2 - 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer	24.84	23.5	51.00	53	4.50	4.8	19.60	19.7	7.0	6.1	15.30	21.5
F3 - 100 %R.D.F +25 kg ZnSo4 /ha	24.63	24.8	50.30	52	4.63	5.0	19.67	20.6	6.67	6.3	15.46	15.2
F4 - 100 %RDF +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 %	24.33	24.6	51.30	51	4.67	4.2	18.90	19.8	6.67	5.9	17.06	17.0
F5 - 100 %R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo4/ha +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 %	25.06	24.9	51.00	51	4.63	4.5	20.27	20.3	6.37	5.8	14.67	14.8
F6 - 50 %N through organic +50 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	24.40	24.6	50.30	51	4.63	4.5	19.93	20.3	6.46	6.2	16.40	17.8
F7 - 25%N through organic +75 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	24.63	24.2	51.60	51	4.57	4.6	19.87	21.4	6.63	6.5	16.28	15.1
CD at 5%	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS

Table 5. Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth and yield attributing characters of wheat under cotton-wheat cropping system.

Treatments	Plant height (cm)			Effective tillers/ metre row length			Ear length (cm)			No. of grains /spike
	03-04	04-05	05-06	03-04	04-05	05-06	03-04	04-05	05-06	03-04	04-05	05-06
F1 - Absolute control	94.0	77.5	86.3	69.7	44.3	64.0	10.5	9.7	9.0	44.1	28.6	45.0
F2 - 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer	96.1	92.4	94.7	76.0	53.3	76.3	10.9	10.2	9.5	46.3	37.6	46.1
F3 - 100 %R.D.F +25 kg ZnSo4 /ha	98.9	88.9	96.7	74.0	54.3	83.0	10.6	9.6	9.6	50.40	38.9	49.9
F4 - 100 %RDF +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 %	97.1	86.7	95.0	70.3	55.0	77.0	10.9	10.8	9.5	47.93	37.3	47.2
F5 –100 %R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo4/ha +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 %	99.8	92.2	96.0	75.0	56.3	82.0	10.9	10.1	9.6	50.7	41.2	50.3
F6 - 50 %N through organic +50 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	103.3	94.6	101.0	79.0	58.3	89.0	11.2	10.5	10.0	52.5	42.6	51.2
F7 - 25%N through organic +75 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	100.3	91.8	98.0	71.0	55.6	85.0	10.7	9.9	9.8	51.2	39.3	50.9
CD at 5%	9.11	9.3	6.19	9.10	7.8	8.81	NS	NS	NS	7.67	6.8	NS

Table 6. Effect of integrated nutrient management on yield of wheat under cotton-wheat cropping system

Treatments	Grain yield (q/ha)				Straw yield q/ha.			Test weight (g)
	03-04	04-05	05-06	Pooled	03-04	04-05	05-06	03-04	04-05	05-06
F1 – Absolute control	40.0	32.7	30.3	34.3	55.9	34.7	46.3	40.8	40.6	40.8
F2 –100 % Recommended Dose of Fertilizer	45.9	39.3	33.9	39.7	60.93	47.5	53.0	41.7	42.5	41.7
F3 - 100 %R.D.F +25 kg ZnSo4 /ha	48.0	38.4	34.4	40.3	62.2	46.3	54.1	42.4	42.9	42.4
F4 - 100 %RDF +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1%.	46.6	38.1	34.2	39.6	60.9	46.6	53.3	42.2	40.9	41.8
F5 –100 %R.D.F+25kg Zn So4/ha+Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1%	47.5	39.5	34.8	40.6	61.6	48.6	54.0	43.6	41.5	42.9
F6 –50 %N organic +50 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	48.6	43.0	37.2	42.9	63.0	51.6	56.8	43.8	42.6	43.1
F7 - 25%N organic +75 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	47.8	40.0	36.0	41.3	62.4	48.3	55.6	43.3	41.2	43.0
CD. at 5%	8.1	5.3	3.68	2.76	6.54	8.7	5.68	3.38	NS	1.40

Table 7. Effect of integrated nutrient management on nutrient uptake kg/ ha in wheat

Treatments	N uptake kg/ha.			P2O5 uptake kg/ha.			K2O uptake kg/ha.			Pooled uptake kg/ha.
	03-04	04-05	05-06	03-04	04-05	05-06	03-04	04-05	05-06	N	P2O5	K2O
F1 - Absolute control	88.04	65.7	43.16	19.76	14.4	16.68	96.65	63.4	64.0	65.63	16.95	74.68
F2 - 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer	103.33	87.5	54.35	23.52	19.7	19.67	107.57	87.1	71.60	81.73	20.96	88.76
F3 - 100 %R.D.F +25 kg ZnSo4 /ha	109.13	84.7	58.81	24.85	19.0	18.31	112.6	86.2	71.73	84.21	20.70	90.18
F4 - 100 %RDF +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 %	105.16	86.5	54.38	24.00	18.8	19.65	110.66	86.2	72.04	82.01	20.82	89.63
F5 –100 %R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo4/ha +Boron two foliar spray @ 0.1 %	110.90	91.4	58.09	24.96	20.5	19.18	113.22	90.9	72.55	86.80	21.55	92.22
F6 - 50 %N through organic +50 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	117.00	104.6	63.78	27.21	24.0	20.97	116.96	98.2	78.89	95.13	24.06	98.02
F7 – 25%N through organic +75 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	114.00	93.7	58.40	26.53	22.0	18.99	114.46	91.3	75.62	88.70	22.51	93.79
CD at 5%	14.03	9.1	6.74	7.24	2.8	NS	10.40	16.0	7.84	6.74	4.49	7.87

Table 8: Effect of integrated nutrient management on gross return(Rs/ha), net return(Rs/ha),cost of cultivation(Rs/ha) & cost benefit ratio of cotton wheat crop sequence.

Treatments	Gross return Rs/ha	Cost of cultivation Rs/ha	Net return Rs/ha	B:C Ratio
F1 - Absolute control	52549	18520	34029	2.837
F2 - 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer	63188	21075	42113	2.998
F3 - 100 %R.D.F +25 kg ZnSo4 /ha	69328	22230	47101	3.119
F4 - 100 %RDF +Bfoliar spray @ 0.1 %	64124	21535	42589	2.978
F5 -100 %R.D.F + 25 kg ZnSo4/ha +B foliar spray @ 0.1 %	71095	22765	48330	3.123
F6 - 50 %N through organic +50 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	70232	22995	47237	3.054
F7 - 25%N through organic +75 % N through fertilizer +PK adjusted to 100 % RD.	66707	21995	44712	3.033