Cotton farming guide: sowing, spacing, pests and picking
Last updated: 15 June 2026
Cotton is a major cash crop in central, western and southern India. This is general guidance; follow your variety's recommendation and local agriculture advice.
Sowing and spacing
Sow with the onset of the season (often with early monsoon in rainfed areas or as advised under irrigation). Keep the recommended row and plant spacing for your variety to get good canopy and boll development.
Nutrition and water
- Apply balanced nutrients based on a soil test; cotton is sensitive to nutrient stress.
- Avoid water stress at flowering and boll-formation; also avoid waterlogging.
- Weed early — cotton is a poor competitor in the first weeks.
Pest management
Pink bollworm is the key threat — use pheromone traps for monitoring, follow refuge/rotation advice, and destroy crop residue after the season to break the pest cycle. Watch also for sucking pests (jassids, whitefly) early on.
Picking
Pick fully opened bolls in dry conditions, keeping cotton clean and free of trash and moisture to fetch a better price.
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Ask Saathi: “Give me a cotton farming and pest-control plan”Frequently asked questions
How do I control pink bollworm in cotton?
Monitor with pheromone traps, follow refuge/rotation guidance, avoid extended crop periods, and destroy residue after harvest to break the pest cycle.
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