EFFECT OF SEEDING RATE AND SEED SOAKING DURATION ON PRODUCTIVITY OF RELAY- INTERCROPPED WHEAT IN COTTON

The major problem in cotton-wheat cropping system is delayed harvesting of cotton which results in late planting of wheat. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted on relay wheat in standing cotton that comprised of three different seeding densities (100, 125 and 150 kg ha-1) and four seed soaking durations (0, 6, 12 and 18 hours). The experiment was designed in randomized complete block design with factorial arrangement having three replications. The interactive effect of seed rates and seed soaking duration on emergence count, leaf area index, spikelet’s per spike, grains per spike and grain yield were significant. Wheat sown with seed rate of 150 kg ha-1 and 12 hrs of seed soaking produced significantly higher yield than all other combinations except for 125 kg ha-1seed rate and 12 and 18 hrs of seed soakings. In conclusion, the productivity of relay wheat in standing cotton can be enhanced by using seed rate of 150 kg ha-1 along with seed soaking duration of 12 hours.