Soil nutrient status and its effect on reddening of cotton in Nanded district of Maharashtra

The study was conducted to know the available nutrient status in soil, nutrient content in leaves and chlorophyll and anthocyanin pigment at square formation stage of cotton in the month of October. Twenty four fields was finalized and forty eight soil samples (0-30 & 30- 60 cm depth) was collected for laboratory analysis at square formation stage of cotton in Nanded district of Maharashtra. Soil fertility status was found low to high and which was found significantly affected by CaCO3 and moisture content in soil at square formation stage. It was found that soil is very low to low in available nitrogen, low to moderately high in available phosphorus, low to very high available potassium, medium to high sulphur, high in magnesium and high in micronutrient except zinc low to medium status in soil. The trace of nutrients dominated by S followed by N, K, Mg, P and Cu at square formation stage creates the trace of nutrients in cotton leaves at square formation stage. This causes reduction in chlorophyll formation and increased the accumulation of anthocyanin pigment, which induce the reddening in cotton as well as reduction in growth and yield of cotton.