Agri deptt issues cotton sowing guidelines

MULTAN: The Punjab agriculture department has issued recommendations for cotton cultivation, advising farmers to complete sowing by April 30.

According to the department’s spokesperson, plant-to-plant spacing should be maintained at 12 inches, row spacing at 2.5 feet, with around 17,500 plants per acre.

Farmers have been directed to use only approved varieties. They were also advised to allocate at least 10 percent area for non-BT varieties along with BT crops to prevent pest resistance.

The department recommended ridge sowing, preferably through mechanized methods, or manual planting after ridge preparation. In case of drill sowing, row spacing should be kept at 2.5 feet, and ridges formed when the crop reaches 1.5 to 2 feet in height.

Ridge cultivation helps in weed control, efficient fertilizer use, water conservation, and protection from rain damage, the spokesperson added. APP