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Cotton farming guide for India
Cotton thrives in well-drained soil; excessive moisture during the vegetative phase reduces boll formation.
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Key numbers
- SeasonKharifabout 160 days
- Water over the seasonabout 700 mmrain and irrigation together
- Soil pH5.8 to 8.0NPK guide 100:50:50
- Main riskBollwormsee the watchlist below
Typical values for India. Your soil test and your local KVK's advice come first.
When and where cotton is grown
Cotton is grown as a Kharif crop in India: April-June sowing, October-January picking.
Leading states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana. Soil moisture is best kept around 40 to 60% of capacity for most of the season.
What to watch on your field
What a weekly satellite and weather view of your own field shows at each stage, and when to walk the field.
Emergence
Even moisture in the seed zone gives a uniform stand; gaps show early as thin greenness.
Vegetative growth
Steady growth, not maximum growth, gives the best fibre; too much water or nitrogen makes the crop leafy.
Boll or fibre development
The key window for water stress and for pests that thrive in humid weather.
Maturity
Stop irrigating at the right time and watch for dry weather for picking or harvest.
The main risks for cotton
Most of these follow the weather. A risky week is a reason to inspect the crop, not to spray by default.
For any spray or dose, ask your KVK or an agronomist. VarshaKrishi's free Watch plan never names a product.
- BollwormThe main risk for this crop in India.
- Pink bollwormPeaks at boll formation.
- Bacterial blightSpreads in warm, wet canopies.
Watering cotton well
Irrigate at the critical windows only, and allow mild stress in the vegetative stage where the crop tolerates it.
Crop water use follows the FAO-56 method: the weather sets a reference demand, and the crop's stage sets how much of it the crop uses. That is why the same field needs different amounts in different weeks.
A weekly message about your own cotton field.
Watch is free for any field in India: what changed on your field this week, the weather for your village, and a clear note when the satellite cannot see. Decide opens crop by crop after an agronomist reviews each crop model.
1.2 km × 0.9 km · each square 10 m
- Your own field, every week.The squares inside your boundary, compared with your field's own history.
- A clear note when it cannot see.Cloudy weeks and very small plots are named, not guessed.
- Free on Watch.In Marathi, Hindi or English, on WhatsApp.
Growing cotton in Vidarbha? What to check, and when, from sowing to harvest · मराठीत · हिन्दी में
How each message is made, from which satellites and with which limits: methods and evidence. A real field's year of Sentinel-2 readings, free to download: open data.
Cotton: common questions
What soil pH does cotton need?
Cotton grows best at a soil pH between 5.8 and 8.0. A soil test before the season is the reliable way to know your own field.
How much water does cotton need?
About 700 mm over a season of roughly 160 days, from rain and irrigation together. The real need changes with the weather, the soil and the crop's stage, which is why it helps to track your own field week by week.
What is the main disease or pest risk for cotton?
Bollworm is the main risk. Most risks follow the weather, so a risky week is a reason to inspect the crop. Ask your KVK or an agronomist before any spray.
When is cotton grown in India?
Cotton is grown as a Kharif crop: April-June sowing, October-January picking.
Which states grow the most cotton?
Leading states include Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana. VarshaKrishi's free Watch plan covers any field in these states: you need WhatsApp and your field's location, nothing installed in the field.