In case of normal monsoon, the land should be prepared with 1-2 cross harrowing. This may help in conservation of moisture in the soil. If monsoon receives late, the land should be prepared with one ploughing. Deep ploughing after 2-3 years with tractor drawn implements may reduce the problem of perennial weeds in the field.

Normally, the crop is sown with the onset of monsoon in the last week of June to first week of July. Where irrigation facility is available, the crop may be sown little earlier i.e. in the first week of June. Advance sowing of the crop will give higher yield than normally sown crop.

The seed requirement of the variety mainly depends upon the size of the seed and method of distance of sowing. Spacing mainly depends on the growth habit of a variety and in which condition it is to be sown i.e. irrigated or rainfed. The details of seed rate and spacing of different cotton varieties is given in table 1. Normally, seed should be sown at a depth of 4-6 cm according to availability of moisture in the soil.

In Gujarat, following varieties have been recommended to grow in different cotton zones

All hybrids like Hybrid-4, G.Cot.Hy-6, G.Cot.Hy-8, G.Cot.Hy-10, G.Cot.Hy-12, G.Cot.DH-7, G.Cot.DH-9 and G.Cot.MDH-11 and hirsutum varieties like Deviraj and G.Cot.10 are recommended for whole state. The economic characters of different varieties are given in Table-II.

To harvest good yield one should maintain proper plant population in unit area. For the purpose one should carry out operation like thinning and gap filling as and when required.

The organic manure@ 10 tonnes/ha should be applied as this will help in conservation of moisture, increase in aeration, soil drainage, microbial activity and availability of nutrients. This will also help in improvement of soil structure. The recommended doses of inorganic fertilizers for different varieties are given in Table 1.

The operation of interculturing and weeding may be followed as per one's requirement. The weed should be removed by following deep ploughing in earlier stage of the crop whereas shallow ploughing in later stage of the crop. This is to avoid damage to root.
In case of chemical weed control, the field should be sprayed with 2.8 litre/ha Fluchloralin in 600 liters of water. If spraying is to be done only on the rows of the crop, the quantity of the weedicide will be lesser i.e. 1 litre/ha or 50 ml in 10 litres of water.

Where irrigation facility is available, irrigation should be given 3-4 weeks after last effective rainfall. In black soils, generally irrigation should be given at an interval of 20-25 days. Where as, in sandy loam soils (GORADU), it should be given at 15 days interval; irrigation water can be saved by irrigating the crop with alternate furrow method without decreasing in the yield as compared to flood irrigated area.
In rainfed cultivation, when shortage of rainfall occurs, crop should be irrigated with one or two life saving irrigations.

In cotton various intercrops like soybean, tur, urid and mung can be taken up. The recommendations emerged in Gujarat are given in Table-1.

• Seed germination (one month after processing) is not affected by picking or position of boll. Other seed quality parameters are not adversely affected by either picking of position of boll. Therefore, it is recommended to the seed producers of American cotton (e.g. G.Cot.10) that all pickings and positions are alike with respect to fulfilling certification standards of germination (65%).
• It is recommended to the cotton growing farmers especially seed producers of desi cotton that seed germination is not affected by either picking or position of boll. Therefore, all picking are alike and can be used for seed purpose.
• Under specific conditions, defoliants like Ethrel 2000 ppm or NaCl 10% solution can be used at 50% boll bursting stage for hastening maturity of crop by about a week. This would also help in getting cleaner kapas.
• Seed producers of desi cotton hybrid G.Cot.DH-9 are advised to give two sprays of 1 mM Sodium benzoate (1.44 g/10 L. @ 400 L/ha) on female parent at the initiation of crossing programme and twenty days later to get higher seed yield (F1) and economic gain (Rs. 11,065/ha) (ICBR 1:300).
• Farmers of South Gujarat growing hybrid cottons (G.Cot.Hy-6 and G.Cot.DH-9) are advised to spray the crop with 30 % or 20 % Methanol at 65 and 85 days of the germination (@ 300 L/ha and 400 L/ha to realize higher yield and better economic returns (Net profit being Rs. 3802 and Rs. 2412 and ICBR being 1:1.51 and 1:1.44, respectively for the two treatments)-Recommendation put in abeyance due to ban on Methanol.
• Acid delinting of cotton seed does not improve or advance the germination. Hence it is advised that the practice of acid delinting parent/breeder seed may be discontinued.
• Chemical defoliant thiadizuron @ 50 gm/ha at 50 percent boll bursting stage gave maximum yield of cotton without impairing the quality.

SRT = Surat, BCH= Bharuch, ACH=Achhalia, VIR= Viramgam, TLD= Talod, KHB= Khedbraham JND= Janagadh * Through two equal splits ** Through three equal splits