Carbon Stone is an organic carbon-rich product extracted through proprietary Microbial Extraction Technology. Resembling a stone, it contains activated carbon and plays a crucial role in soil health and crop productivity. The optimal carbon level in soil ranges from 0.5% to 3%. Unfortunately, over the past 70 years, Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) levels in India have significantly declined, dropping from 1% to 0.3%. To counter this decline, external carbon application becomes necessary. Carbon Stone enhances rhizospheric soil fertility by improving Water-Holding Capacity, Aeration and Nutrient Availability. It also serves as a habitat for beneficial soil microbes. These microbes contribute to nutrient cycling and overall soil health. It supports microbial communities, leading to better flower sets and increased crop yield. In this article, we have explained how carbon stone is beneficial for the cotton crop.
Cotton Crop
Cotton crop is one of the important cash crops in India and India is one of the major cotton growing countries in the world covering over 9.44 million hectares. Climatic changes, poor soil health, water scarcity and infestation of crops with various pests and diseases are all the reasons for decreased productivity in India when compared to global average and It is possible to increase the productivity by the introduction of carbon stone. Cotton crop has four critical growth phases which include vegetative stage, flowering stage, and maturity stage. All four growth stages are equally important in acquiring significant yields and ignoring any of the above stages would result in severe yield losses.
Crop Growth Stages
- Vegetative stage
- Flowering Stage / Reproductive Stage
- Maturity Stage
- Harvesting Stage
Crop Management with Geolife Carbon Stone at various stages of cotton crop
As a cotton plant grows, the demand for nutrients increases. Earlier in the season, the plant sends all resources into vegetative and root growth. Plants may shed squares and small bolls to preserve larger bolls if the nutrient supply is low. This occurs more often after environmental stress like cloudy weather, high temperatures, moisture stress, or leaf damage during flowering. The application of carbon stone decreases dependency on synthetic fertilizers, encourages environmentally sustainable farming, and improves drought resilience.
1. Vegetative Stage
Vegetative growth in cotton involves leaf, node, and root development. During early stages, root growth is prioritized. Carbon Stone, a crop nutrition source in the form of carbon, enhances root development in the rhizosphere. This contributes to overall plant growth in cotton, including root formation, branching, crop height and dense foliage.
Crop Development
Application of carbon stone during this stage helps to improve the root development in the rhizosphere. thereby it leads to growth of the main stem, branches with foliage. It resulting in increasing the photosinthesis. When the cotyledons emerge through the ground and spread apart to reveal the apical meristem and hypocotyl, the seedlings have fully established themselves. By this period plant required essential nutrients.
Product Usage
- Carbon Stone is sprayed at a rate of 1-2 kg/ha during the vegetative stage.
- Carbon Stone supports a diverse microbial community in the rhizosphere, providing essential nutrients for vegetative growth of the cotton crop.
- Carbon Stone fosters soil biological activity, maintaining soil health and preventing erosion by supporting microorganisms in decomposing organic matter and releasing nutrients.
- Carbon Stone enhances nutrient cycling by making nutrients more available to plants, reducing the reliance on synthetic fertilizers and improving overall nutrient efficiency.
2. Flowering Stage / Reproductive Stage
The flowering period typically lasts four to six weeks and is characterized in terms of weeks of bloom. As the once beautiful cotton flower withers and dies, it shrivels up, turns brown, and flakes off. But fear not! Your cotton plant isn’t dying; it’s undergoing a transformation. The developing boll grows larger, transitioning from green to purple and finally brown. When it reaches its full size, the bracts dry, and the boll cracks open. Over time, the bracts continue to separate until the cotton is fully exposed—an open boll that resembles a unique kind of bloom.
Crop Development
Carbon stone helps to develop branches with several meristems that develop into fruiting buds and a zigzag growth pattern. Usually, at mainstem nodes 5 or 6, the first fruiting branch appears. Approximately every three days, new fruiting branches begin to sprout, and every six days, squares begin to form at new locations on fruiting branches. Carbon Stone results in improved crop yields, better quality, and increased resistance to stress during this stage.
Product Usage
- During the flowering stage/ Reproductive stage, the carbon stone is applied close to the root zone at a rate of 1-2 kg/ha and soaked to the roots by dissolving in a large amount of water.
- Application of Carbon Stone improves the availability of nutrients, improved structure, and enhanced water retention in the rhizosphere directly contribute to increased crop productivity and yield. Healthy soils with sufficient organic carbon support robust plant growth and reduce the conventional fertilizer application.
3. Maturity Stage
As the cotton plant matures, the bolls open. The maturity stage typically begins when the initial square appears on nodes 5-7. When the boll reaches its maximum weight and size, it is considered mature. Boll dehiscence occurs as the fibers and seeds inside the fruit ripen. The boll opens when its walls crack and dry.
Crop Development
This stage starts at 105- 130 days after planning. Plant node setting and square development are signs of reproductive growth. When the fruiting branch forms, the square (pre-bloom flower bud) forms. This is where the initial square is generated. A second position square and a subtending leaf will be produced by the axillary meristem.
Product Usage
- At the Maturity stage the Carbon Stone is supplied through irrigation water. The recommended dose is 1-2 kg/ha.
- Carbon Stone boosts rhizospheric soil fertility and structure, enhancing water-holding capacity, aeration, and nutrient availability for improved plant growth.
4. Harvesting Stage
Harvesting is a very important stage and a good harvest always depends upon the nutrition application and cultivation practices that are followed during crop production. In cotton the crop comes to harvest in 120-130 days after sowing and it is possible to obtain 3-4 consecutive harvests in one season. The healthy crop cultivated following all proper agronomic practices gives an average yield of 10 to 12 quintals/acre.
Conclusion
Carbon Stone enhances soil microbes in the rhizosphere, indirectly improving nutrient availability and crop growth. Higher organic carbon content boosts drought resistance, promotes eco-friendly farming, and reduces reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Carbon Stone positively influences cotton yield by supporting root growth, photosynthesis, flowering, fruiting, and overall crop health.
