ZEST COTTON PRODUCTION TRAINING

1. ZEST COTTON PRODUCTION TRAINING Zimbabwe Extension Support and Training Project 28 TO 29 NOVEMBER 2013 TALKMORE MUKUYU mukuyutalk@comone.co.zw

2. INTRODUCTION • Players/Stakeholders in the industry • Economic importance to; • Households • Districts • Provinces • Nation • Current state of the industry • Prices, who dictates and what are the influences

3. TERMS IN COTTON • Cotton seed • Seed cotton • Fuss and fuss seed • Acid delinted seed • Lint • Squares • Flowers and bolls • Monopodial branches • Sympodial branches • Germination • Emergence • Ratoon cotton

4. LAND PREPARATION • Cotton grows slowly first eight weeks. • Conventional ploughing exposes soil to erosion before canopy establishment • Cotton grows well under CA • Rip on row • Direct seeders • Holing out

5. ROTATIONS

6. ROTATIONS • Consider the following; • Root depth • Herbicide regime • Soil nitrogen fixing capacity • Soil protection from erosion • Diseases and pests

7. PLANTING • Time • Depth • Seed rate • Spacing (early planted and late planted • Gap filling • Seedling diseases

8. FERTILITY MANAGEMENT • Consider; • Soil fertility status • Previous crop • Yield potential • Soil sampling important if resources are available • Soil pH and micro-nutrients essential

9. FERTILITY MANAGEMENT • LIMING • Soil acidity caused by nitrogenous fertilisers, leaching and parent rock • Acidity restricts nutrient uptake • Apply before basal • Same amount as basal if no soil test done.

10. NITROGEN • Managing a perennial plant to produce an annual yield • Promotes growth • Excess nitrogen results in rank growth and cannot be reversed • Quarter of total requirement at planting

11. POTASSIUM • Critical for growth and reproductive development • Most Zimbabwean soils have high levels but removal of crop residues accelerates depletion • Low potash in cotton during boll development results in alternaria and premature defoliation

12. PHOSPHATE • Required throughout growth, critical during early development for root growth • Placement is important • Most soils in Zimbabwe have low inherent phosphate

13. Manure/Compost • Thermal compost better in nutrient content than animal manure • Also improves soil structure • Banding in planting furrows or placing in holes more effective than broadcasting

14. APPLICATION • All potash and phosphate to be applied at or before planting below planting level • One quarter of nitrogen at planting • In sandy soils half of nitrogen balance at 6 wks and at flowering • In heavier soils the balance applied once at flowering or eight weeks

17. MICRONUTRIENTS Magnesium • Dolomitic lime usually replenishes soil magnesium. • Magnesium important in chlorophyll (green matter) of the leaves Sulphur • Critical in the seed oil production Boron • Required for fruiting and deficiency results in flower and small bolls abortion

18. MOISTURE CONSERVATION • Minimum soil disturbance at planting • Mulching • Potholing • Alternate inter-row ripping • Timeous weed control • Weed free winter period

19. WEED CONTROL • Weeds compete for nutrients, moisture, and light • First eight weeks critical • Late weeds interfere with picking and contaminate seed cotton

20. METHODS • Hand weeding (hoes) • Mechanical weeding • Chemical weed control • Combinations of the above

21. Herbicide Practical • Calibration • Mixing • Application • Safe use of chemicals

22. Pre-plant incorporated • These require to be incorporated into the soil • Suitable for controlling grasses • Small scale farmers may not have the implements to do this • Trif, Trifluralin, Trump, Planavin

23. Pre-emergent • Mainly used for control of broad leaf weeds • Cotoran, Bladex, Cotogard, and Gesagard for heavier soils. • Cotogard may be used in soils with 10 – 20 % clay

24. Post emergence • Cotoran, Gesagard, Diuron, Bladex may be used as lay by post emergent • Directed spraying with Roundup on emerged weeds, especially to control nutsedge and morning glory, wandering jew and couch grass.

25. THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN