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In the scenario of recent energy crises, enhancement of yield at a reduced tillage cost and site specific potassium nutrition is much important for higher cotton yield and lint quality. The experiment was in a split-plot design and replicated thrice. Tillage system (i.e. reduced and conventional) was main plot treatment and potassium levels (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 & 250 kg ha-1) sub-plot. K-levels were applied 50, 100, 150, 200, and 200 kg ha-1 as soil application treatments and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 as a foliar application of 2% K2SO4 solution at peak boll formation stage. Results revealed that tillage did not influence yield and quality attributes of cotton; however, potassium levels significantly affected yield and quality traits except fiber micronaire. Potassium fertilizer (soil-applied) at 250 kg ha-1 along with five foliar sprays of K2SO4 produced higher plant height, sympodial branches plant-1, bolls plant-1, 100 cotton seed weight, seed cotton yield, ginning outturn, fiber length, and fiber strength compared to other K-levels. Moreover, tillage × potassium interaction indicated that reduced tillage along with 250 kg K ha-1 plus 5 foliar sprays was superior to conventional tillage for producing higher sympodial branches, bolls plant-1, seed cotton yield, and ginning outturn (%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton yield and quality are constantly deteriorating in water limited and poorly drained silty clay soils. Farmers practice deep plowing and irrigate at 2-week interval, which is costly, degrading soil, and reduce cotton yield. A field study was conducted to evaluate the impact of tillage, irrigation intervals, and K (potassium) levels on cotton yield and quality. The experiment comprised main plot [reduced tillage (RT) and conventional tillage (CT)], subplot [irrigation intervals (2, 3, and 4-week)], and sub-sub plot treatments [K levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg K ha−1)]. Experimental design was split-split-plot replicated thrice. RT with 4-week irrigation interval and K level can replace CT. RT with 4-week interval plus 150 kg K ha−1 produced 25.6% more returns than CT. Four-week interval with 150 kg K saved 50% water and showed higher lint yield than 2-week interval. Four-week interval increased lint yield by 41% and 15.7% over 2- and 3-week intervals, respectively. The highest K level improved lint quality and produced 50.9% higher lint yield than zero K level. Lint quality increased with deficit irrigation and higher K levels. Thus RT, infrequent irrigation, and appropriate K level is a sustainable approach for economic production of cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]