Abstract
Precise and appropriate management of farmland for a cotton crop to reach the highest water use efficiency with a low water supply and an acceptable yield is required in arid- and semiarid regions. This study in Iran aimed to find the most appropriate concentration of jasmonic acid (JA) and the best stage for application to cope with any negative impacts of water deficit stress. A split-plot factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications was used in 2 consecutive years (2016–2017). Two irrigation intervals of 10 and 20 days were used, with four concentrations of JA (0, 25, 50, and 100 mg L<sup>−1</sup> ) and applications at three crop stages (vegetative, reproductive, and vegetative and reproductive together). The final results showed that the 20-day interval significantly decreased relative water content, the quantity of cotton, cotton yield and its related traits including boll number per plant, the 1,000-seed weight, seed cotton yield, lint yield, and lint percentage. It also increased the content of proline and soluble sugars. The 50-mg L<sup>−1</sup> concentration of JA applied at the vegetative-reproductive stages appropriately mitigated the negative effects of water deficit. These results are of practical application for farmers in arid- and semiarid regions with low water supply when irrigating cotton lands in order to reach an acceptable cotton yield.
Highlights
Water deficit stress is one of the greatest challenges that agriculture has faced because it results in negative effects on plant growth, development, and so crop yield
The results indicated that increasing the irrigation interval from 10 to 20 days reduced boll number per plant, 1,000-seed weight, seed yield, lint yield, and lint percentage of cotton plants
Water deficit stress usually induces a significant reduction in plant growth and normally brings about smaller and poorly developed vegetative organs leading to a decrease in the photosynthetic apparatus and reduced photosynthesis resulting in lower yields [15]
Summary
Water deficit stress is one of the greatest challenges that agriculture has faced because it results in negative effects on plant growth, development, and so crop yield. Cotton is moderately tolerant to drought mainly because of its extensive root system, its growth and development is especially in sensitive stages such as seedling, and the productive stages are severely influenced by water stress [2]. This normally causes reductions in respiration and photosynthesis, flowering and growth, and the quality and quantity of both bolls and fiber resulting in substantial economic yield losses [3]
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