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Cotton is an important cash crop of Pakistan and export commodity. Yield of cotton crop is affected by many factors but insect pests especially whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) is destroying cotton crop yield and quality in recent times. Many control measures are adopted against this pest including chemical control methods. Due to certain environmental issues and insecticide resistance problems, adoption of alternate methods of insect control is imperative. In this experiment we used some insecticides alone and in combination with Salicylic acid against B. tabaci. Flonicamid 50% DF at the rate of 80 g/ac and Diafenthiuran 50% SC at the rate of 200 mL/ac were used against Whitefly. Salicylic acid (SA) by Sigma-Aldrich 500 G was used 01 mL/L of water along with the tested insecticides under field conditions. Highest reduction 90.63% was observed in Flonicamid+SA treatment followed by 82.89% in Diafenthiuran +SA, Flonicamid 77.76%, Diafenthiuron 76.28% and lowest 29.36% reduction was observed in SA treatment with respect to control after 72 hrs. of treatment application. After 7 days maximum reduction 83.43% was observed in Flonicamid+SA followed by 69.02 % in Diafenthiuron+SA, 77.76% in Flonicamid, 66.37% in Diafenthiuron and lowest 21.97% recorded in SA treatment. In SA treatments population of rove beetle, green lace wing and spiders was significantly higher as compared to other treatments. It is evident from the results that SA has enhanced plant resistance against whitefly and thus reduced the damage of pest. SA can be used as alternative combination for the management of cotton whitefly and the amount of insecticide can be reduced for the control of whitefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton is an important cash crop of Pakistan and export commodity. Yield of cotton crop is affected by many factors but insect pests especially whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) is destroying cotton crop yield and quality in recent times. Many control measures are adopted against this pest including chemical control methods. Due to certain environmental issues and insecticide resistance problems, adoption of alternate methods of insect control is imperative. In this experiment we used some insecticides alone and in combination with Salicylic acid against B. tabaci. Flonicamid 50% DF at the rate of 80 g/ac and Diafenthiuran 50% SC at the rate of 200 mL/ac were used against Whitefly. Salicylic acid (SA) by Sigma-Aldrich 500 G was used 01 mL/L of water along with the tested insecticides under field conditions. Highest reduction 90.63% was observed in Flonicamid+SA treatment followed by 82.89% in Diafenthiuran +SA, Flonicamid 77.76%, Diafenthiuron 76.28% and lowest 29.36% reduction was observed in SA treatment with respect to control after 72 hrs. of treatment application. After 7 days maximum reduction 83.43% was observed in Flonicamid+SA followed by 69.02 % in Diafenthiuron+SA, 77.76% in Flonicamid, 66.37% in Diafenthiuron and lowest 21.97% recorded in SA treatment. In SA treatments population of rove beetle, green lace wing and spiders was significantly higher as compared to other treatments. It is evident from the results that SA has enhanced plant resistance against whitefly and thus reduced the damage of pest. SA can be used as alternative combination for the management of cotton whitefly and the amount of insecticide can be reduced for the control of whitefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water shortage is becoming a serious concern for all crops and particularly for cotton, which has been a major export contributor of Pakistan. In this scenario, drought-tolerant cotton cultivars with zero tillage could be the best option. This research aims to quantify the impact of limited water on lint yield and quality of cotton genotypes. An experiment was managed in a split plot, randomized complete block design, replicated thrice at the Agricultural Research Institute, Dera Ismail Khan. The experiment was conducted in 2016 using treatments irrigation intervals (10, 15, 20 and 25 days) and Bt cotton varieties (MNH-886, CRIS-342, and CRIS-134) as main- and sub-plots treatments, respectively. Total irrigation water used in irrigation treatments, 10, 15, 20, and 25 days intervals were 1125, 750, 560, and 450 mm, respectively. Each experimental unit was 10 × 3 m². Results showed that all the parameters under study had a significant response to the treatments irrigation intervals. Irrigation intervals of 10 days produced more sympodial branches (14) and higher plant height (131cm) as compared to other irrigation intervals. Higher bolls (19 / plant), boll weight (2.9 g), seed cotton (2424 kg ha-1), ginning out turn (GOT, 37%), fiber length (28.1mm), fiber strength (29.5 g per tex) and micronaire value (3.5 μg per inch) were achieved from irrigation interval of 25 days. Interaction effects (irrigation x varieties) revealed that variety CRIS-134 in combination with 25 days irrigation interval conserved 60 % more water, produced 60.5% more bolls per plant, 21.1% higher GOT, 48.7% higher seed cotton yield, and 12.4% higher fiber length compared to all other combinations. Results indicate that CRIS-134 with 25 days irrigation interval in zero tillage system is more advantageous and adaptable in agro-ecological conditions of Dera Ismail Khan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water shortage is becoming a serious concern for all crops and particularly for cotton, which has been a major export contributor of Pakistan. In this scenario, drought-tolerant cotton cultivars with zero tillage could be the best option. This research aims to quantify the impact of limited water on lint yield and quality of cotton genotypes. An experiment was managed in a split plot, randomized complete block design, replicated thrice at the Agricultural Research Institute, Dera Ismail Khan. The experiment was conducted in 2016 using treatments irrigation intervals (10, 15, 20 and 25 days) and Bt cotton varieties (MNH-886, CRIS-342, and CRIS-134) as main- and sub-plots treatments, respectively. Total irrigation water used in irrigation treatments, 10, 15, 20, and 25 days intervals were 1125, 750, 560, and 450 mm, respectively. Each experimental unit was 10 × 3 m2. Results showed that all the parameters under study had a significant response to the treatments irrigation intervals. Irrigation intervals of 10 days produced more sympodial branches (14) and higher plant height (131cm) as compared to other irrigation intervals. Higher bolls (19 / plant), boll weight (2.9 g), seed cotton (2424 kg ha-1), ginning out turn (GOT, 37%), fiber length (28.1mm), fiber strength (29.5 g per tex) and micronaire value (3.5 µg per inch) were achieved from irrigation interval of 25 days. Interaction effects (irrigation x varieties) revealed that variety CRIS-134 in combination with 25 days irrigation interval conserved 60% more water, produced 60.5% more bolls per plant, 21.1% higher GOT, 48.7% higher seed cotton yield, and 12.4% higher fiber length compared to all other combinations. Results indicate that CRIS-134 with 25 days irrigation interval in zero tillage system is more advantageous and adaptable in agro-ecological conditions of Dera Ismail Khan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]