ABSTRACT

The poppy in India is grown in almost all kinds of soils, viz. clayey, sandy-loam, loamy sand, and sandy clay, but the plant is preferably grown on the sandy loam type of soil. Such a soil presents a uniform appearance and is fairly moisture retentive and easily cultivable and productive. Since poppy cultivation is still a family affair, the individual holdings under cultivation are small. Nitrogen (calcium ammonium nitrate) should be divided into three equal splits, the first dose given at sowing and subsequent doses given 30–40 days and 60–65 days after sowing. Total amount of this fertilizer may vary from 60 kg/ha to 90 kg/ha depending on the amount of Farm Yard Manure (FYM) added to soil. High microbial population developed on FYM band perhaps decomposed herbicide particles and made the seed row free from herbicide injury and the inter-row spacing free from weed population.