Polysulphate Cotton Trial in India
21
Maharashtra, India 2020
21
Key Conclusions
Trial shows how Polysulphate fertilizer increases cotton yield by up to 21%, and increases the net return for the farmer, with an average benefit:cost ratio of 7.7.
Objective
To evaluate the effect of Polysulphate on the yield, and important yield parameters, of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) when compared to the farmers’ common practice in Maharashtra, India.
Trial Details
Trial station
Maharashtra, India
Crop
Cotton
Product
Standard Polysulphate
Assessments
Yield, sympodial branches/plant, bolls/plant, and boll weight
Treatments
Nine unreplicated field trials were carried out on 0.4 ha plots in Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, and Beed districts of Maharashtra, with control plots of the same size where the farmers’ common fertilizer practice was used.
- The control plots received a basal application of 125 kg/ha DAP and 125 kg/ha MOP, followed by 225 kg/ha of urea top-dressed one month after sowing in two split applications at 15-20-day intervals.
- The Polysulphate-treated plots received the same fertilizer applications as the control, with an additional basal application of 125 kg/ha of standard Polysulphate.
DAP | MOP | urea | Polysulphate | |
---|---|---|---|---|
kg/ha | kg/ha | kg/ha | kg/ha | |
Control | 125 | 125 | 225 | - |
Polysulphate | 125 | 125 | 225 | 125 |
Treatments
Nine unreplicated field trials were carried out on 0.4 ha plots in Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, and Beed districts of Maharashtra, with control plots of the same size where the farmers’ common fertilizer practice was used.
- The control plots received a basal application of 125 kg/ha DAP and 125 kg/ha MOP, followed by 225 kg/ha of urea top-dressed one month after sowing in two split applications at 15-20-day intervals.
- The Polysulphate-treated plots received the same fertilizer applications as the control, with an additional basal application of 125 kg/ha of standard Polysulphate.
DAP | MOP | urea | Polysulphate | |
---|---|---|---|---|
kg/ha | kg/ha | kg/ha | kg/ha | |
Control | 125 | 125 | 225 | - |
Polysulphate | 125 | 125 | 225 | 125 |
Results
- Seed cotton yield increased by 21% in the Polysulphate treated plots across the locations, with an average yield gain of 5.4 q/ha.
- Yield contributing traits, namely sympodial branches, and bolls/plant, increased by an average of 12% and 31% respectively across the locations in Polysulphate plots compared to the controls.
- Average boll weight increased by 1.5 g in Polysulphate plots compared to the controls.
- Polysulphate application increased the net return and was very profitable in all locations, with an average benefit:cost ratio of 7.7.