Abstract
The effects of mepiquat chloride (MC) application to cotton seeds on the initial growth of the plant roots and shoots were studied in a greenhouse experiment. Glass-front containers with 27 L of soil were used in the experiment. Cotton seeds of the cultivar FM 993 were sprayed with MC at five different doses of active ingredient (a.i.): 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 g kg -1 seed. The shoot and root dry matter, leaf area, shoot:root ratio, leaf area: root growth ratio, and shoot length were evaluated 21 days after sowing. The root growth was evaluated every three days up to 18 days. The application of MC to cotton seeds decreased the shoot length but had no significant effect on the dry matter production, root length, shoot:root ratio or leaf area: root length ratio. Thus, the application of MC to cotton seeds is not expected to have a deleterious effect on plant water acquisition.
Highlights
Manipulation of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plant architecture using growth regulators can be an agronomic strategy for obtaining high yields
mepiquat chloride (MC) modifies the rooting pattern because acts in the partition of biomass, inhibiting the growth certain parts and increasing other, this way cotton crop can be more efficient and improve water stress resistance (LAMAS et al, 2000), and Nagashima et al (2005) have confirmed this finding under Brazilian conditions by applying MC to cotton seeds to reduce plant height from emergence. This application reduced plant shoot and root growth, but despite being advantageous from an operational point of view, soaking the seeds could lead to a decrease in the root growth rate, which would result in plants more susceptible to water deficit in their initial growth stages
Root growth was determined at six evaluation points by drawing the visible roots on a transparent plastic sheet placed over the glass of the pots
Summary
Manipulation of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plant architecture using growth regulators can be an agronomic strategy for obtaining high yields. MC modifies the rooting pattern because acts in the partition of biomass, inhibiting the growth certain parts and increasing other, this way cotton crop can be more efficient and improve water stress resistance (LAMAS et al, 2000), and Nagashima et al (2005) have confirmed this finding under Brazilian conditions by applying MC to cotton seeds to reduce plant height from emergence This application reduced plant shoot and root growth, but despite being advantageous from an operational point of view, soaking the seeds could lead to a decrease in the root growth rate, which would result in plants more susceptible to water deficit in their initial growth stages. The objective of the present experiment was to study the effects of MC applied to cotton seeds on the initial growth of plants and the shoot root-1 ratio
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