Vol. 9, Special Issue 12, Part S (2025)

The present study was carried out during kharif season of 2024-2025 at Cotton Research Unit, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharastra to investigate the effect of different plant geometry and canopy management practices on NPK uptake of Bt cotton under drip irrigation. The experiment was laid out in a Factorial Randomized Block Design (RBD) having 3 replications with 12 different treatment combinations. These treatments included three different plant geometry viz., 90 cm x 15 cm (S₁), 90 cm x 30 cm (S₂), and 90 cm x 45 cm (S₃). For canopy management, there were four treatments: Control (C₁), monopodial removal at 45-50 DAS and detopping at 100 cm plant height (C₂), monopodial removal at 45-50 DAS and one spray of mepiquat chloride @ 25 g a.i. at 60-65 DAS (C₃), and two sprays of mepiquat chloride @ 25 g a.i. at 45-50 DAS and 60-65 DAS (C₄) and recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) @ 120:60:60 N:P₂O₅:K₂O kg/ha. The results showed that plant geometry of 90 cm x 15 cm was recorded highest dry matter distribution in leaves, stem and fruiting body (35.13 g, 138.79 g, 125.69 g) and NPK uptake (119.74 kg ha^-1, 37.37 kg ha^-1 and 88.88 kg ha^-1) over 90 cm x 30 cm, and 90 cm x 45 cm plant spacing. Among different canopy management practices treatment C₂ (as monopodia removal at 45-50 DAS and detopping at 100 cm plant height) recorded significantly highest dry matter distribution in leaves, stem and fruiting body (53.06 g, 180.10 g 150.95 g) and NPK uptake (119.20 kg ha^-1, 37.37 kg ha^-1 and 87.97 kg ha^-1) over other canopy management practices and lowest dry matter distribution in leaves stem and fruiting body (42.75 g, 160.30 g, 118.90 g) and NPK uptake (89.95 kg ha^-1, 27.10 kg ha^-1 and 68.79 kg ha^-1) observed in C₁ treatment.