Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute

Cotton farmers in Morogoro Region have been urged to adhere to cotton planting guidelines to increase yields and their income. The call has been made by National Coordinator for Cotton and Director of Ukiriguru research Centre, Dr Paul Saidia in his visit along with TARI researchers to Ulanga and Mvomero Districts, aimed at inspecting the progress of demonstration farms used for teaching the technology of cotton farming.

He stated that the new planting method (60 centimeters by 30 centimeters­) increases the number of plants in the field to 44,444 per acre, compared to the old method which 90 centimeters by 30 centimeters, resulted in not more than 15,000 plants. “In this planting method, a farmer can harvest from 1,400 kilograms and above per acre”. He noted. He said a farmer will also have to maintain manual trimming of stem apex at 70th day after sowing and lateral branches between 90th up to 100th day from the date of sowing. This is to ensure healthy cotton balls.

On his part, a researcher on the Cotton Victoria project and Acting Coordinator of the Department of Technology Transfer and Cooperation, Dr Abdullah Mkiga, expressed the need for reducing the spraying speed when applying pesticides to ensure effectiveness, since the new planting method increases the number of plants in the field.

The visit, which began in Singida and Dodoma Regions and Morogoro, aimed to assess areas where a farmer’s field day will be held to further disseminate cotton farming technologies, specifically the new planting method.