Effect of eucalyptus trees on growth and yield of cotton

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of eucalyptus trees on growth and yield of Americancotton. Plant height, root length and dry weight per plant increased with increase in distance from Eucalyptus trees. However, due to adverse effect of eucalyptus trees cotton plants did not produce any bolls upto a distance of 6-7m. Allelopathic effect of eucalyptus trees reduced the kapas yields to 92% in plants at 7-8m away compared to 22-23m. Available nitrogen and phosphorous in soils increased as the distance from eucalyptus trees increased both in 0–30 and 30–60 cm soil depth. Similarly, moisture content of surface soil (0–15 cm) also increased as the distance increased from the eucalyptus trees upto 12–14 m. Grasses, broad leaved weeds and sedges were not present in the vicinity of eucalyptus upto a distance of 8–10 m. However, at a distance of 10–12 m away from eucalyptus trees, density of grasses, broadleaved weeds and sedges and their dry weight increased as the distance increased upto a distance of 22–24 m.