Cotton growers have been advised to adopt integrated crop management practices to protect crops from severe heat stress during the critical flowering and boll formation stages.
Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) Multan Director Ms Sabahat Hussain on Sunday said that prolonged hot and dry conditions increase the risk of flower and boll shedding, making timely irrigation and nutrient management essential for sustaining crop health and yield.
She cautioned farmers against allowing water stagnation in fields, noting that standing water heats up quickly under high temperatures, damaging the root system and adversely affecting plant growth. Excess irrigation water, she stressed, should be promptly drained.
Ms Hussain recommended light irrigation every three to five days during the flowering and boll formation stages to maintain optimum soil moisture.
She further advised farmers to irrigate during early morning or late evening hours to reduce evaporation losses and minimize heat stress on the crop.
On nutrient management, she suggested a foliar spray solution comprising 200 grams potassium sulphate, 250 grams magnesium sulphate,150 grams zinc sulphate, 100 grams borax and one kilogram urea mixed in 125 liters of water per acre, to be applied during cooler hours.
The spray should be repeated after 15 days for better results, she added.
She also recommended applying half a bag of urea or one bag of calcium ammonium nitrate per acre with irrigation, along with 10-20 kilograms of potash to improve water-use efficiency and enhance the crop’s tolerance to high temperatures.
The CCRI director urged farmers to closely monitor their crops for signs of flower and boll shedding,leaf scorching and overall stress conditions to enable timely intervention and prevent yield losses.