Optimum sowing dates for cotton varieties in the Guinea Savanna Agroecological zone of Ghana

Abstract

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is a cash crop commonly grown in the savanna zone of West Africa. The objective of this study was to determine the optimum sowing dates for different cotton varieties in Ghana. The study was conducted at the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), Tamale, Ghana during 2016-2018 wet seasons. Treatments consisted of sowing dates at four levels, namely mid to late June (PD1), early to mid- July (PD2, mid to late July (PD3) and early August (PD4); and cotton varieties at three levels, i.e. FK37, SARCOT1 and SARCOT5. Treatments were laid out in a split arrangement, with cotton variety as the as the main plot and planting date as the sub plot factor. Results showed that earlier sown cotton maximised seed cotton yield, number of bolls and opened bolls, seed weight, boll weight, plant height, as well as ginning out-turn. Cotton sown early at PD1 produced the highest average (1570 kg ha^-1) seed cotton yield, with 10 number of bolls and 9 opened bolls plant^-1. SARCOT5 cotton variety produced the highest (1223 kg ha^-1) seed cotton yield; while FK37 gave the lowest (861 kg ha^-1) yield. The interaction between PD1 and SARCOT5 produced the highest (1777 kg ha^-1) seed cotton yield and could be recommended for viable cotton production in the Guinea savanna agroecology of Ghana.