Conditions for Cultivation of cotton:
Cotton is a tropical & Sub-tropical crop. It requires high temperature. At the time of growing it requires 21°C to 24° temperature.
It requires moderate rainfall of 50 cm to 100 cm. However, it can cultivate in areas of lesser rainfall with the help of irrigation.
Deep soil is well suitable for cotton crop. This soil is commonly known as cotton soil. This is capable of retaining moisture.
Cotton requires the use of Manures & fertilizers crop rotation helps to maintain fertility of the soil & improve the yield.
Cotton cultivation requires large amount of cheap labours for planting, thinning, seeding, picking of cotton.
Frosting, Moist weather & heavy rainfall are harmful to the crop.
Cotton plant is susceptible to *** & pests. Site requires the use of insecticides & pesticides.
The Sunny weather is necessary at the time of harvesting the cotton.
Varieties of Cotton:
(1) Long Staple Cotton:
- It is the best variety
- It has over 3.8 cm in length.
- Because of its length of fibre, fine & shining it is used for making fine & super fine quality of cloth.
- It is Largely grown in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tarnil Nadu & Madhya Pradesh etc.
(ii) Medium Staple Cotton:
- The length of catton fibre is between 2.5 cm to 3.8 cm is known as medium staple cotton.
- It is used for making Medium cloth.
- his is grown in Rajasthan, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka etc.
(iii) Short Staple Cotton:
- This is infèrior variety with fiber length less than 2.5 cm.
- This used for making inferior quality of cloth, stuffing purpose, blending with synthetic, fibre etc.
- This type of cotton production is reduced in India.
- Uttar Pradesh Andhra Pradesh & Rajasthan etc are growing this type of cotton.
