The following advisories have been circulated to the Bt cotton grower in the selected villages under OPMAS project
AUGUST – 2014
1st Week
Monsoon received in last of July 2014 in Maharashtra and hence sowing of Bt cotton started after 25th July and continued upto 1st week of August in Ahmednagar district.Bt cotton growers of the selected villages under OPMAS project were provided the following advisory. 1. Bt cotton growers should go for inter cropping of cow pea or green gram or black gram in between two rows of Bt cotton. This will help in conservation of natural enemies of sucking pests 2.NPK dose for Bt cotton in irrigated situation is 150,75,75 kg/ha. First dose should be applied 30 days after sowing as DAP 75 kg or 10:26:26 125 kg + Urea 25 kg per acre. Second dose 55 to 60 days after sowing should be given as urea 50 kg + MOP 25 kg per acre . and third dose 75 days after sowing as urea 25 kg + MOP 25 kg per acre 3 . Soil application of MgSO4 @ 25kg/ha is needed for avoiding leaf reddening in Bt cotton. 5.Install yellow sticky traps @ 50/ha to prevent the infestation of white flies and jassids. 6. First spray of karanj oil @ 2ml/lit should be given for prevention of sucking pests on Bt cotton .
2nd week
Bt cotton sowing is completed in all OPMAS villages selected under the project. Bt cotton growers are advised not to go for chemical pesticide sprays during first month of crop growth stage. After 30 days of crop growth stage go for stem application of imidacloprid 17.8% in the ration of 1:20 with water to prevent sucking pest infestation. Similarly use yellow sticky traps @ 50/ha against white flies and jassids in Bt cotton. First preventive spray of karanj oil @ 2ml/lit should be given 40 days after sowing for prevention of sucking pests .Soil application of MgSO4 @25kg/ha is needed for avoiding leaf reddening in Bt cotton.
3rd Week
1. In some Bt cotton fields, leaf injury due to 2, 4- D was noticed and accordingly the farmers were asked to cut off the damaged leaves and spray the crop with 19:19:19 @ 1 kg per acre by mixing with 200 lit of water. 2.If the infestation of jassids is noticed , the Bt cotton growers should go for application of thiammethoxam spray @ 0.3 gm per lit.of water whereas for white flies spray karanj oil @ 2 ml + acetamiprid @ 0.5 gm per lit. of water.Similarly apply potassium nitrate @ 1 kg + Magnessium sulphate @ 500 gm per care through spray at 40, 60 and 75 days after sowing of Bt cotton in order to prevent leaf reddening.
4th Week
1.In case of natural square dropping in Bt cotton, the farmers were advised to go for application of 20 ppm NAA spray ( Planofix @ 0.4 ml/lit). 2.in case of heavy infestation of jassids, spraying of Buprofezin @ 300 ml per acre was suggested to the Bt cotton growers. 3. second dose of chemical fertilizers in Bt cotton should be given 45 days after sowing in the form of urea @ 50 kg + 10:26:26 @ 75 kg per acre . 4.Infestation of ash weevil was also noticed in some Bt cotton plots for which spraying of Chloropyripihos @ 400 ml per acre was suggested
September – 2014
1st Week
1.Heavy rains received in some villages and stagnation of rain water is resulting in root rot of late sown Bt cotton plots. In this situation the the Bt cotton growers are advised to undertake the drenching of Copper Oxychloride and humic acid by adding 1 kg each of them . in 200 lit. of water and drenching 200 ml solution per plant. 2.Spraying of Clothianidin @ 0.2gm + karanj oil @ 2ml per liter of water has been suggested against white flies in Bt cotton 3.For prevention of square dropping in Bt cotton the farmers should undertake the spraying with 20 ppm NAA (Planofix @ 0.4 ml/lit) .
2nd week
1.Stem application of imidacloprid 17.8% in the after 30,45 and 60 days of crop growth stage will prevent the infestation of sucking pests in Bt cotton, For this purpose the ratio of imidacloprid and water should be 1:20.
2. To recover the leaf injury due to 2,4-D in Bt cotton, remove and burn the heavily damaged leaves and spray the crop with foliar grade of plant nutrients like 19;19:19 @ (2.5 kg/ha through 200 lit of water. 3. Second dose of chemical fertilizers to Bt cotton should be given at 40-45 days of crop growth stage in the form of Urea @ 50 kg/acre + 10:26:26 @ 75 kg/ per acre . 4.If thrips infestation is increased, the Bt cotton growers should go for application of Fipronil @ 200 ml per acre by mixing with 200 lit. of water
3rd Week
1.Mealy bug infestaion has been observed in some of the Bt cotton fields in Rahata and Shrirampur tehsils.and accordingly the farmers were suggested to go for spraying with Verticilium lecani or beauveria bassiana @ 1 kg per care by adding in 200 litter of water. 2. In case of increased infestation of thrips, the Bt cotton growers should go for application of Fipronil @ 200 ml per acre by mixing with 200 lit. of water. 3. Three Sprays of potassium nitrate @2.5kg/ha + Magnessium sulphate @ 1.5 kg/ha at 30, 60 and 80 days interval are required to prevent leaf reddening in Bt cotton. 4. Third dose of chemical fertilizers to Bt cotton should be given at 60 days of crop growth stage in the form of Urea @ 50 kg/acre + Muriate of potash @ 50 kg/ per acre .
4th Week
1.Spraying of Clothianidin @ 0.2 gm per liter of water has been suggested against increased infestation of white flies and jassids in Bt cotton. 2. If infestation of Mealy bug is noticed in Bt cotton fields , the farmers should apply Verticilium lecani or beauveria bassiana through spray @ 1 kg by mixing with 200 liter of water.
3.Spraying of potassium nitrate @ 1 kg + 200 lit. water per acre is suggested during water stress condition in Bt cotton. 4. Soil application magnesium sulphate @ 10 kg per acre will help in minimizing the leaf reddening in Bt cotton
October 2014
1st Week
1.Infestation of red mites and white fly is observed in this week and for their management the Bt cotton growers are advised to undertake the spraying of Spiromecifen @ 200 ml per acre through 200 lit.water. 2.In some cotton growing areas the infestation of thrips has been noticed and accordingly the spray of Fipronil @ 200 ml per acre is suggested. 3. Spray of potassium nitrate @ 1 kg per acre through 200 lit of water is advised on Bt cotton in water stress situation 4. Third dose of chemical fertilizers to Bt cotton should be given after 70-75 days in the form of Urea 50 kg + Potash 30 kg per acre.
2nd week
1. Stem application of imidacloprid 17.8% in the ration of 1:20 with water is advised in Bt cotton after 60 days to prevent sucking pest infestation 2.Application of Magnesium sulphate @ 600 gm + Potassium nitrate @ 1 kg per acre through spray is suggested to prevent leaf reddening in Bt cotton. 3. Spray of Clothianidin @ 60 gm per acre by mixing with 200 lit of water is advised against white flies and jassids on Bt cotton. 4. To minimize the square dropping in Bt cotton, the farmers should apply Planofix (NAA) @ 0.4 ml per lit of water
3rd Week
1.Application of Magnesium sulphate @ 600 gm + Potassium nitrate @ 1 kg per acre through spray is suggested to prevent leaf reddening in Bt cotton. 2. Spray of thiamethoxam @ 80 gm per acre through 200 lit.of water is advised against sucking pests on bt cotton
4th Week
1.In case of heavy infestation of jassids on Bt cotton for which spray of Buprofezin @ 300 ml whereas for white flies Fenpropathrin @ 400 ml per acre through 200 lit. of water is essential. 2.To prevent leaf reddening in Bt cotton, the farmers should potassium nitrate @ 1 kg + Magnessium sulphate @ 600 gm per acre through 200 lit. of water. 3.Spraying of Planofix @ 0.4 ml per lit is needed against square dropping in Bt cotto
November � 2014
1st Week
1.For management of white flies and thrips on Bt cotton installation of blue sticky traps @ 20 per acre and spraying of karanj oil @ 2ml per lit is needed . 2.Drought condition during the current season has affected the Bt cotton growth in rain fed areas and hence premature bursting of bolls has been noticed in some areas of Ahmednagar district. The farmers from these villages are asked to go for picking of Bt cotton followed by proper cleaning and grading to fetch optimum market rates
2nd week
1.Long dry spell along with high temperatures for about one month has resulted in some what early boll maturity in Bt cotton. The size of boll is badly affected due to scarcity of irrigation water. The picking of Bt cotton has been started and farmers are asked to use the cotton picking coats developed by MAU,Parbhani for easy picking as well as increasing the labour use efficiency. Similarly the Bt cotton growers are asked to contact the KVK for supply of these cotton picking coats. 2.The farmers are aslo advised to clean and properly grade the cotton for fetching good prices in the market
4th Week
Picking of Bt cotton is being going on in all the OPMAS villages and the farmers are also advised to grade the cotton properly for fetching good prices in the market and use the cotton picking coats during picking.
December 2014
2nd week
Complete lodging of late sown Bt cotton crop has also been occurred due to sudden hailstorm in some part of Ahmednagar district The Bt cotton growers are informed to take the preventive as well as curative measures regarding plant protection and nutrition management of their crop. In late sown Bt cotton area the farmers are advised to undertake the spraying of copper oxychloride @ 500 gm per acre through 200 lit.of water to prevent the damage due to bacteral blight. Similarly the Bt cotton growers are also suggested to spray the crop with potassium nitrate @ 5 gm per lit to have the faster maturity of bolls so that the harvesting will be completed as early as possible