Effect of organic and inorganic sources of nitrogen on growth, yield and quality of cotton (gossypium hirsutum l.)

A field experiment was conducted during 2013 at experimental farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University to study the effect of organic and inorganic sources of nitrogen on growth, yield and quality of cotton. The soil of the experiment farm is deep clay, low in available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and high in available potassium. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design and replicated thrice. The experiment comprised of eight treatments which includes absolute control (No fertilizer and no organic manure), recommended dose of fertilizer alone and graded dose of fertilizer nitrogen along with different organic manures viz., farmyard manure, pressmud compost, vermicompost, poultry manure, water hyacinth compost and sugar cane trash compost. Use of different sources and combination sources of nitrogen had significant influence on growth and yield of cotton. The results of the experiment showed that 75% N through fertilizer along with 25 % N through vermicompost significantly recorded maximum growth and yield of cotton over other organic manures in combination with inorganic fertilizer which was followed by 75% N through fertilizer along with 25 % N through pressmud compost. As per quality characters were concerned, INM practices had not significant influence on quality parameters viz., ginning percentage, bundle strength (g tex-1) and fibre fineness. Significantly lowest values for growth attributes, yield attributes and seed cotton yield was recorded in the control (No fertilizer and no organic manure). Based on the above results, it could be concluded that 75% N through fertilizer along with 25%N through vermicompost will be more promising combination which resulted in higher yield of seed cotton.