Impact of tillage and nitrogen on cotton yield and quality in a wheat-cotton system, Pakistan

Growing cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) after wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an important cropping system in Pakistan. However, numerous tillage practices commonly applied for cotton production are not productive. Conservation tillage may optimize cotton yield and quality if nitrogen (N) is not a limiting factor. Field experiments were conducted on silty clay soil (Hyperthermic, and Typic Torrifluvents) of Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan to study the impact of tillage techniques (zero (ZT), reduced (RT), and conventional tillage (CT)) and nitrogen, namely 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg ha(-1) on cotton yield and quality. Mean values for N revealed that bolls plant(-1), boll weight, seed cotton yield, ginning out turn (GOT), fiber length, strength, and micronaire were highest at 150-200 kg N ha(-1). Averaged over years, tillage x nitrogen revealed that RT had higher bolls plant(-1), boll weight, GOT, fiber length, and strength at 150-200 kg N ha(-1) compared to other tillage system. The micronaire revealed that RT had no adverse effect on fiber fineness compared to ZT/CT. RT had accumulated higher soil organic matter and total soil N compared to CT. RT with 150-200 kg N ha(-1) may be a sustainable and environmentally safe strategy to enhance cotton yield and quality.