Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF FOLIAR APPLICATION OF NUTRIENT N, P AND K ON AMERICAN COTTON BT (GOSSYPIUM HIRSUTUM L.)

Baljinder Singh and A.S Sidhu

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of foliar application of N, P, K on American Cotton (Bt (Gossypium hirsutum L.) during kharif 2014. The trial consisted of 7 treatments, i.e. urea; SSP, KNO3, DAP, KCl, SSP+KCl, KNO3+DAP and control. The fertilizers were applied as 2% spray at flower initiation stage. Randomized block design with four replication was used. The foliar application of KNO3+DAP significantly increased the seed cotton yield over control and other treatments. The foliar application of KNO3 +DAP, KNO3, DAP and urea gave higher seed cotton yield over control like 2850, 2440, 2226, and 2292 quintal ha- 1 respectively and were not significant among themselves. Number of flowers, number of bolls and boll weight increased significantly with KNO3+DAP, KNO3 and DAP over control. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content of leaves was also increased by the foliar application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium over control. The reduction in flower shedding was caused by foliar application of KNO3+DAP, KNO3 and DAP. Boll weight of cotton was also significantly increased with the foliar application of KNO3+DAP, urea, DAP, KNO3, SSP+KCl, KCl, over control.