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Cotton Yield Alert: Nitrogen Crucial for Bolls, Avoid Common Mistakes, Says Dr. RK Singh.
- •Dr. RK Singh, senior agricultural scientist, states nitrogen is most vital when cotton bolls are forming.
- •Many farmers apply all urea initially, leading to nitrogen deficiency when plants need it most for boll formation.
- •Red or yellow leaves indicate nitrogen deficiency; do not ignore this as a normal issue.
- •Lack of timely nitrogen can stunt plant growth and reduce cotton yield, causing financial losses for farmers.
- •Experts advise proper urea application; if leaves turn red, spray one part of 100 kg urea into plant roots at this stage.
Key Questions Answered
During the boll formation stage, cotton plants require adequate nitrogen to support proper plant growth and optimal boll development. If plants lack sufficient nitrogen, bolls may still form, but the amount and quality of cotton inside them will likely be affected, reducing the yield per plant and causing financial losses for farmers.
When cotton plants lack sufficient nitrogen during the boll formation stage, the green color of their leaves starts changing to red or yellow. Farmers should closely monitor their fields and avoid ignoring these color changes as a normal problem, as they indicate nutrient deficiency that can harm future crop yields.
Many farmers apply all of their urea at the very beginning of the crop cycle rather than splitting it. This mistake leaves the crop short of nitrogen when bolls begin to form later on. Agricultural scientists advise dividing the total urea quantity and applying it across different stages to ensure plants receive steady nourishment.
