Effect of crop establishment methods on seed germination, seedling mortality and growth of Bt cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) -based intercropping systems

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
during the (Kharif) season of 2012 to evaluate the effect of crop establishment methods on seed
germination, seedling mortality and growth of Bt cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)-based intercropping
systems. The results revealed that percent germination and mortality of germinated seedlings and
final plant stand/m2 significantly influenced by methods of crop establishment. Germination
percentage of cotton seeds was 80.2% under direct sowing which was significantly lower than the
germination percentage (97.5 %) recorded under nursery raised for transplanting the cotton crop.
Plant height, leaf area index (LAI) and dry matter/plant recorded under direct sowing of cotton
were significantly higher than transplanted cotton. However, seed cotton yield/ha was 5.23% higher
under transplanted cotton, which might be due to 14-15% higher plant stand under transplanting
than direct sown cotton crop.