Abstract
Sustainable use of water resources in agriculture is a necessity for many arid countries. In order to investigate the effect of water deficit, irrigation after 120 (control), 155 (moderate water stress) and 190 mm (sever water stress) pan evaporation and super absorbent polymer rates (SAP) (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg ha-1) on growth, yield and water use efficiency of cotton, an experiment was conducted as split plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Moreover, the effect of water quality (distilled water and solutions of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.25% NaCl) was investigated on water holding capacity by SAP. Results revealed that moderate water stress (irrigation intervals of aprox. 15 days) along with 60 kg ha-1 SAP application was the best treatment in terms of growth and yield indices of cotton. The results for plant height, plant dry weight, boll number per plant and fiber yield in this treatment were 16, 28, 42 and 10% higher than control treatment, respectively. Water deficit and SAP application improved the water use efficiency (WUE) of cotton. The amount of WUE in moderate water stress treatment along with consumption of 60 or 90 kg ha-1 SAP was 26% higher than for control treatment. In addition, water holding capacity by SAP in distilled water treatment was 7 times higher than in the case of 1.25% NaCl solution. The overall results showed that irrigation deficit and SAP application are two appropriate strategies for crop production in areas affected by drought stress, especially if low saline water sources are used.
Highlights
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is a woody, perennial, indeterminate plant with the C3 photosynthesis pathway, grown in warm and some temperate climates for fiber and, with less importance, for oil production
In order to study the effects of deficit irrigation and chemical super absorbent polymer (SAP) on vegetative and reproductive growth indices and water use efficiency of cotton, a one year experiment was conducted at Sarayan Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand, Iran during 2013-2014
super absorbent polymer rates (SAP) application inserted a considerable positive impact on cotton yield per boll and per plant in all levels of irrigation, so that application of 60 kg ha-1SAP increased the amounts of mentioned indices by 16% compared to control
Summary
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is a woody, perennial, indeterminate plant with the C3 photosynthesis pathway, grown in warm and some temperate climates for fiber and, with less importance, for oil production. In order to study the effects of deficit irrigation and chemical super absorbent polymer (SAP) on vegetative and reproductive growth indices and water use efficiency of cotton, a one year experiment was conducted at Sarayan Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand, Iran during 2013-2014. The interaction effects of deficit irrigation and SAP application were significant on most of the vegetative growth indices of cotton (Table 4).
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