Effects of reduced chemical fertilizers applied with different organic fertilizers on yield and quality parameters in cotton

This study was conducted to determine the effects of reduced chemical fertilizers applied together with different organic fertilizers on the yield and quality parameters of cotton. The research was conducted in 2022 and 2023 at the Tarsus Soil and Water Resources Location Central Enterprise of the Alata Horticultural Research Institute Directorate. In the study, which was established with 3 replications according to the randomized block trial design, a total of 10 subjects, including different combinations of chemical fertilizers and organic fertilizers, constituted the subject of the research. The research was set up in 3 separate trials, including different doses of barnyard manure, vermicompost and k-humate, as well as two different doses of chemical fertilizers consisting of N, P, K and Zn. 2 doses (full and ½ dose) of each of barnyard manure, vermicompost and k-humate used as organic fertilizer sources, as well as combinations of each dose containing optimum chemical fertilizer and 75% of optimum chemical fertilizer, were used. In the study, 0, 500, 1000 kg/da doses of barnyard manure and vermicompost and 0, 3, 6 kg/da doses of k-humate were used as three organic fertilizer sources. In the study, organic and chemical fertilizer applications had a statistically significant (p<0.05 and p<0.01 level) effect on the yield and some quality parameters of the cotton plant. According to the combined analysis results of the two years; The yield of seed cotton where barnyard manure and chemical fertilizer were applied varied between 427 kg/da and 568 kg/da, and the highest seed cotton yield was obtained from the application of optimum chemical fertilizer and 1000 kg/da of barnyard manure. The yield of seed cotton where vermicompost and chemical fertilizer were applied varied between 402 kg/da and 517 kg/da, and the highest seed cotton yield was obtained from the application of optimum chemical fertilizer and 1000 kg/da of vermicompost. The yield of seed cotton where k-humate and chemical fertilizer were applied varied between 413 kg/da and 522 kg/da, and the highest seed cotton yield was obtained from optimum chemical fertilizer and 6 kg/da of k-humate application. As a result of this study, it was concluded that if organic fertilizers are integrated into traditional agricultural practices in which only chemical fertilizers are used, the productivity and quality characteristics of the cotton plant can be increased.