| More
Information |
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| Name |
Madhubhai Jadhavbhai Kanani |
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| District |
Bhavnagar |
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| Title |
Enhancing germination of cotton seeds |
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| Details |
It is generally observed that germination of cotton seeds is poor in saline and heavy black soil. If it rains, after the sowing, the top layer of the soil forms a hard crust which comes in the way of germination. Farmers believe that the seeds do germinate in the soil but fail to push through the hard encrusted soil.
To overcome this problem, farmers sow one castor seed per hill while dibbling cotton seeds. Castor germinates more or less simultaneously with cotton. The castor seedlings break through the hard soil crust and make way for the cotton seedlings to sprout. A few days after germination, the castor seedlings are weeded out manually. “A castor seedling” according to Mr Madhubhai Kanani, a farmer who uses this method, “can sprout successfully even if it is planted deep in the soil as it has more energy to push the soil crust”. At the very early stages of growth, the castor seedlings do not affect the growth of the cotton plants.
This technique is widely practiced in most of the cotton growing regions of Saurashtra and North Gujarat. |
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| Volume No. |
Honey Bee, 6(4):11, 1995 |
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| Sout |
Mukesh Kanani |
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| Call Number |
6401 |
