Table 1 Shortcomings of cotton cultivation in India
Shortcomings | Reasons | References |
|---|---|---|
Soil type | Growing cotton in clay soils leads to abundant vegetative growth because of their excellent water retention and nutrient richness, rendering them inappropriate for HDPS. | Khan et al., 2019 |
Selection of suitable cultivars | Cotton varieties with long growth cycles and dense branching structures are not well-suited for HDPS because there is limited space available for each plant, and they are more prone to suffering from terminal drought. | Kumar et al., 2020 |
More time required for manual sowing | In HDPS, manual sowing requires additional time because of the closer spacing between plants. | Venugopalan, 2019 |
Higher seed rate | HDPS requires a higher seed rate because of the closer spacing between plants, leading to elevated seed expenses. Nevertheless, the improved yields obtained from HDPS farming can balance these increased costs. | Ranapanga et al., 2023 |
Canopy management | In HDPS cotton, effective canopy management is essential. Plant growth regulators such as mepiquat chloride are necessary to minimize excessive vegetative growth and retain the first-formed bolls in HDPS. | Kumar et al., 2020 |
Nutrient management | HDPS requires an additional 25% of fertilizers due to the increased plant population compared with traditional planting methods. | Venugopalan, 2019 |
Soil moisture stress | The greater plant density in HDPS cotton exacerbates drought stress. Therefore, it is imperative to research and identify cost-effective osmoprotectants to mitigate drought effects. | Ranapanga et al., 2023 |
Weed management | HDPS facilitates rapid canopy closure and enhances the cotton crop’s competitiveness against weeds. | Prasad et al., 2023 |
Pest & disease incidence | Implementing tighter plant spacing generates a microclimate conducive to the proliferation of pests and diseases. | Prasad et al., 2019 |
Labour availability | Cotton cultivation in India encounters notable hurdles stemming from ineffective labour practices, escalating labour expenses, and shortages in labour availability. | Ramanjaneyulu et al., 2021 |