Field day Programme on HDPS Cotton under ICAR-CICR Special Project on Cottonunder NFSM 2024 by DAATC, Sangupet-Jogipet at Chinthakunta Rythuvedhika on 19-11-2024

On November 19th, 2024, a field day was organized at Rythuvedika in Chintakunta village, Andol Mandal, under the direction of the DAATT Center, Sangupet-Jogipet. The chief guest for the event was Dr. K. Ramesh, Principal Scientist at ICAR-CICR Regional Station, Coimbatore. He explained that the HDPS (High-Density Planting System) method can reduce the height of most plants, increase the number of pods per plant, and is well-suited for mechanical harvesting. Additionally, he said that this method can reduce the cost of cultivation by approximately Rs. 5,000 per acre. During the program, Sri K. Rahul Vishwakarma, the coordinator of the DAATT Center, informed the farmers about the cotton crop planted using the HDPS method. Speaking to the farmers, he explained that the high-density cotton cultivation method yields better results than the conventional method. Additionally, it also helps in avoiding the damage caused by the pink bollworm, leading to higher net income. A HDPS method adopted farmer named Mallesham shared his own experiences with this method, highlighting how it has benefited farmers who adopted it. In the program, Scientist K. Sarita Garu, emphasized the importance of comprehensive fertilizer management for both paddy and cotton crops. She also recommended installing 4-6 sex attractant traps per acre to monitor insect infestations in cotton field. The event was attended by Mandal Agriculture Officers Srihari and Swapna. Chennayya, the Regional Manager, as well as Prabhu, Balaji of Veda Seeds and Rekha Manoj (YP-II) and S. Srikanth (YP-1) from the DAATT Center were attended for the programme.