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Two field experiments were carried out in Agricultural Research and Experimental Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt (2019 and 2020) to study the response of Egyptian cotton cultivars (Giza 92, Giza 94 and Giza 95) growth, yield and fiber properties to foliar zinc (Zn) rates (0, 100 and 200 ppm) and nitrogen (N) fertilizers sources; urea (U), ammonium nitrate (AN) and ammonium sulfate (AS). Cultivars, N sources and foliar Zn led to a significant effect on plant height, number of sympodial branches plant-1, total and open bolls plant-1, boll weight, seed index, seed cotton yield plant-1, seed cotton yield fed-1, fiber strength, and fineness. While, cultivars had a significant effect on the position of the 1st sympodial node, lint%, fiber length and uniformity index. Giza 95 was a superior in above parameter except seed index and fiber quality. While, Giza 92 was a superior in fiber quality. Significant of two and three interactions between studied factors existed on most of studied traits. Whereas, the highest values were obtained from plots treated with AS with foliar Zn at 200 ppm in most cases. Significant relationships were found between total boll and percentage of open boll plant-1; R2 = 0.76 (Giza 92), 0.89 (Giza 94) and 0.91 (Giza 95). Also, seed cotton yield fed.-1 with open bolls plant-1, boll weight and lint% (R2 = 0.862, 0.632 and 0.619, respectively). In such experimental soil conditions ammonium sulfate and foliar Zn at 200 ppm could be recommended to improve the cotton properties.

In agriculture, fungi can cause serious damage, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality and profit. Fungicides help in reducing the damage caused by fungus, reduce the yield loss and play a major role in quality improvement. The present investigation was carried out at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University to evaluate the influence of trifloxystrobin 50% + tebuconazole 25% (Nativo 75WG) on the yield and quality improvement on Bunny hybrid Bt cotton. Nativo 75WG was applied on the leaves of cotton plants at 40-60 (DAS) and 60-80 (DAS) at the concentration of 250, 300, 350 g/ha and Carbendazim @ 500 g/ha. The observations recorded were related to yield and quality attributes in all treatments. The application of Nativo @ 300 g/ha showed a significant increase in boll weight (4.86 g), lint yield per boll (3.86 g boll-1) and lint per plant (138.48 g plant -1) than other treatments. With respect to seed cotton yield and harvest index (0.37 %), the Nativo @ 300 g/ha registered a higher yield (20.2 %) and HI than control under the irrigated situation. Foliar application of treatments during the flowering stage (40-60 DAS) and boll formation stages (60-80 DAS) had increased the quality parameters such as fiber length (2.5% staple length, 50 % staple length) and fiber strength. Further, the foliar spray of Nativo @ 300 g/ha applied to bunny hybrid Bt cotton had resulted in a higher yield (2920.15 kg ha-1) due to an increase in leaf area index, greenness of leaf and higher dry matter production of the plant.

Cotton crop, plays a significant role in Pakistan’s economy by ruling a prominent place in edible oil and local textile industry. Phosphorus (P) inaccessibility and deficiency of soil organic matter are the key restraints for low crop productivity in cotton. Therefore, a two years field study was designed during 2014-15, to explore the influence of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), farmyard manure (FYM), poultry manure (PM) and inanimate sources of P on various physiological, growth, yield and quality parameters of cotton crop at CCRI Multan. Field responses of seeds inoculated with two distinctive phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) strains viz. S0 = control, S1 =strain-1, S2 = strain-2 and eight organic, inorganic P sources viz., P0= control, P1 = 80 kg ha-1 P from inorganic source, P2 = 80 kg ha-1 P from FYM, P3 = 80 kg ha-1 P from PM, P4 = 40 kg ha-1 P from FYM + 40 kg ha-1 P from inorganic source, P5 = 40 kg ha-1 P from PM + 40 kg ha-1 P from inorganic source, P6 = 80 kg ha-1 P from FYM + 40 kg ha-1 P from inorganic source, P7 = 80 kg ha-1 P from PM + 40 kg ha-1 P from inorganic source and P8 = 40 kg ha-1 P from FYM + 40 kg ha-1 P from PM were evaluated. Results revealed that inoculation of seeds with PSB and collective use of inorganic and organic sources of P had considerably increased the yield contributing attributes in cotton. However, the treatment P7 (80 kg P ha-1 from PM + 40 kg P ha-1 from inorganic source) in coincidence with seeds inoculated with PSB (S1) produced taller plant, maximum boll weight, significantly higher LAI and CGR. Significantly higher seed cotton yield, lint yield, fiber length and maximum BCR of 1.95 and 1.81 was also obtained from the P7 treatment during both crop-growing seasons. In conclusion, combined use of 80 kg P ha-1 from PM + 40 kg P ha-1 from inorganic source and cotton seeds inoculated with strain-1 improved phosphorus uptake ensuing in greater consumption of photo-assimilates for maximum growth and yield. Resumo A safra de algodão, desempenha um papel significativo na economia do Paquistão, ao ocupar um lugar de destaque no óleo comestível e na indústria têxtil local. A inacessibilidade e a deficiência de fósforo (P) da matéria orgânica do solo são as principais restrições para a baixa produtividade das culturas em algodão. Portanto, um estudo de campo de dois anos foi desenvolvido durante 2014-15, para explorar a influência de bactérias solubilizantes de fosfato (PSB), esterco de capoeira (FYM), esterco de aves (PM) e fontes inanimadas de P sobre vários fatores fisiológicos, crescimento, rendimento e parâmetros de qualidade da cultura do algodão no CCRI Multan. Respostas de campo de sementes inoculadas com duas cepas distintas de bactérias solubilizantes de fosfato (PSB) viz. S0 = controle, S1 = cepa-1, S2 = cepa-2 e oito fontes orgânicas de P inorgânicas viz., P0 = controle, P1 = 80 kg ha-1 P de fonte inorgânica, P2 = 80 kg ha-1 P de FYM, P3 = 80 kg ha-1 P de PM, P4 = 40 kg ha-1 P de FYM + 40 kg ha-1 P de fonte inorgânica, P5 = 40 kg ha-1 P de PM + 40 kg ha-1 P de fonte inorgânica, P6 = 80 kg ha-1 P de FYM + 40 kg ha-1 P de fonte inorgânica, P7 = 80 kg ha-1 P de PM + 40 kg ha-1 P de fonte inorgânica e P8 = 40 Foram avaliados kg ha-1 P da FYM + 40 kg ha-1 P da PM. Os resultados revelaram que a inoculação de sementes com PSB e o uso coletivo de fontes inorgânicas e orgânicas de P aumentaram consideravelmente os atributos que contribuem para a produtividade no algodão. No entanto, o tratamento P7 (80 kg P ha-1 da PM + 40 kg P ha-1 da fonte inorgânica) em coincidência com sementes inoculadas com PSB (S1) produziu planta mais alta, peso máximo de cápsula, IAF e CGR significativamente maiores. Produtividade significativamente maior do algodão, rendimento de fiapos, comprimento da fibra e BCR máximo de 1,95 e 1,81 também foi obtida a partir do tratamento P7 durante as duas épocas de cultivo. Em conclusão, o uso combinado de 80 kg P ha-1 de PM + 40 kg P ha-1 de fonte inorgânica e sementes de algodão inoculadas com a cepa-1 melhoraram a captação de fósforo, resultando em maior consumo de foto assimilados para obter crescimento e produtividade máximos.

Background Heterosis has been extensively utilized in different crops and made a significant contribution to global food security. Genetic distance (GD) is one of the valuable criteria for selecting parents in hybrid breeding. The objectives of this study were to estimate the GD between parents using both simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and to investigate the efficiency of the prediction of hybrid performance based on GD. The experiment comprised of four male parents, 282 female parents and 1128 F1, derived from NCII mating scheme. The hybrids, their parents and two check cultivars were evaluated for two years. Performance of F1, mid-parent heterosis (MPH), and best parent heterosis (BPH) were evaluated for ten agronomic and fiber quality traits, including plant height, boll weight, boll number, lint percentage, fiber length, fiber strength, fiber uniformity, fiber elongation ratio, micronaire, and spinning consistent index. Results Heterosis was observed in all hybrids and, the traits like plant height, boll number, boll weight and lint percentage exhibited higher heterosis than the fiber quality traits. Correlations were significant between parental and F1 performances. The F1 performances between three hybrid sets (Elite×Elite, Exotic×Elite, and Historic×Elite) showed significant differences in eight traits, including boll number, lint percentage, fiber length, fiber strength, fiber uniformity, fiber elongation ratio, micronaire, and spinning consistent index. The correlation of the GD assessed by both SSR and SNP markers was significantly positive. The cluster analysis based on GD results estimated using SNP showed that all the female parents divided into five groups and the F1 performance between these five groups showed significant differences in four traits, including lint percentage, micronaire, fiber strength, and fiber elongation ratio. The correlation between GD and F1 performance, MPH and BPH were significant for lint percentage and micronaire. Conclusions Our results suggested that GD between parents could be helpful in heterosis prediction for certain traits. This study reveals that molecular marker analysis can serve as a basis for assigning germplasm into heterotic groups and to provide guidelines for parental selection in hybrid cotton breeding.

Drought stress is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting lint yield and fibre quality in cotton. With increase in population, degrading natural resources and frequent drought occurrences, development of high yielding, drought tolerant cotton cultivars is critical for sustainable cotton production across countries. Six Gossypium hirsutum genotypes identified for drought tolerance, wider adaptability and better fibre quality traits were characterized for various morpho-physiological and biochemical characters and their molecular basis was investigated under drought stress. Under drought conditions, genotypes revealed statistically significant differences for all the morpho-physiological and biochemical traits. The interaction (genotype × treatment) effects were highly significant for root length, excised leaf water loss and cell membrane thermostability indicating differential interaction of genotypes under control and stress conditions. Correlation studies revealed that under drought stress, relative water content had significant positive correlation with root length and root-to-shoot ratio while it had significant negative correlation with excised leaf water loss, epicuticular wax, proline, potassium and total soluble sugar content. Analysis of expression of fourteen drought stress related genes under water stress indicated that both ABA dependent and ABA independent mechanisms of drought tolerance might be operating differentially in the studied genotypes. IC325280 and LRA5166 exhibited ABA mediated expression of stress responsive genes and traits. Molecular basis of drought tolerance in IC357406, Suraj, IC259637 and CNH 28I genotypes could be attributed to ABA independent pathway. Based on physiological phenotyping, the genotypes IC325280 and IC357406 were identified to possess better root traits and LRA5166 was found to have enhanced cellular level tolerance. Variety Suraj exhibited good osmotic adjustment and better root traits to withstand water stress. The identified drought component trait(s) in specific genotypes would pave way for their pyramiding through marker assisted cotton breeding.

Two field experiments were conducted at Sakha Agricultural Research Station at Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt, during the growing seasons of 2018 and 2019 to study the effect of planting dates and rates of nitrogen and potassium fertilization on growth and productivity of Giza 96 cotton variety to preparing the optimal agricultural recommendation for it. The experiment design was a split plot with four replications. The main plots had two planting dates (Early at 15th April and Late at 15th May) and the sub plots had four rates of nitrogen and potassium fertilization (125% from the recommended dose for nitrogen (N) + potassium (K), 100 % N + K, 75% N + K, 50% N + K). (The recommended dose 60kg Nitrogen/fed. + 24 kg Potassium/fed.) The most important results obtained could be summarized as follows: Planting dates had a significant effect on growth, yield and its components and fiber properties. Early planting date significantly increased No. of fruiting branches /plant, No. of open bolls /plant, boll weight, seed cotton yield/fed. and gave good fiber properties. The rates of nitrogen and potassium fertilization had significant effect on growth traits, yield and yield components while did not exhibit any significant effect on fiber properties. The rate 100% N+K (60 kg N+24kg K) significantly increased No. of fruiting branches /plant, No. of open bolls /plant, boll weight, seed index and seed cotton yield/fed. The interaction between planting dates and rates of nitrogen and potassium fertilization had significant effect on growth, yield and its components while did not exhibit any significant effect on lint % and fiber properties. Generally, early planting in combination with the rate100% N+K (60 kg N+24kg K) significantly increased number of fruiting branches /plant, number of open bolls /plant, boll weight, seed index and seed cotton yield/fed and gave high productivity of Egyptian cotton variety Giza 96.

Potassium (K) being the major limiting factor affecting cotton yield and quality has received massive research attention and the effects of various K fertilization techniques/organic amendments have been studied extensively. However, it is not clear whether the straw based, high pH biochar affects K availability, lint yield and quality of the cotton crop in alkaline calcareous soils. In the present study, we carried out a field experiment on a moderate to strongly calcareous silt loam soil to demonstrate the effect of straw-based biochar and potassium application levels on the growth, seed cotton yield and the lint quality. The experimental treatments comprised of two factors, A) biochar types i) Control no biochar, ii) Rice husk biochar (RHB), iii) Wheat straw biochar (WSB), and iv) Rice straw biochar (RSB), factor B) potassium application levels (i) control, no K fertilizer application, ii) K at 15 kg ha−1, and iii) K at 30 kg ha−1 (4 × 3 × 3, n = 36). Results showed that overall cotton growth and yield was significantly improved with increasing rates of potassium application. Three biochar sources affected seed cotton yield and quality with varying effects. For instance, the RSB increased plant height (11.71% to 22.47%), number of bolls per plant (0.74% to 13.75%), average boll weight (35.44% to 36.22%), the seed cotton yield was increased by 14.48% over the control when rice straw biochar was applied in combination with potassium at 30 kg ha−1. However, the ginning out turn (%) was declined with potassium application in combination with all three-biochar compared to control (no biochar addition). The WSB increased staple length and micronaire by 4.32% and 24.50% without potassium application. The potential effects of straw based biochar and potassium application on seed cotton yield and quality deserve further studies to identify the most suitable biochar as per soil chemical properties.

Uzbekistan is bare of forests and it takes the fifth place in the world in terms of cotton production, and the third place in terms of silk production after China and India. According to the government program the expansion of the land area for mulberry plantations boosts the growth of silk production causing an increase in the total amount of wastes, i.e. branches of mulberry trees industrially useless after the removal of leaves. Their use as a raw material for the cellulose pulp production is relevant, since it is aimed at solving not only the resource, but also the environmental problem. The bark was cut off from the mulberry branches and soaked in water for some time after which its exterior hard layer was scraped off and divided into the rough exterior layer and the softer inner layer. The inner layer was boiled for several hours. The boiled bast, after washing with water, was grinded in a laboratory grinding machine under the following conditions: mass concentration – 1 %, temperature – 22 °С. A given amount of lint cotton cellulose (grinding degree – 45 °SR) was added to the grinded bast. Paper molds with the mass of 80 g/m2 were obtained in laboratory conditions using a sheet-making apparatus. It was found out that the obtained paper that contains cotton cellulose pulp and inner layer of mulberry branch bark has low whiteness which depends on whiteness of the added fibers. It has been established that adding the cellulose pulp of the inner layer of mulberry branch bark at a grinding degree of 30 °SR contributes to the production of strong paper. It is recommended to add up to 30 % of cellulose pulp from the inner layer of mulberry branch bark to paper pulp as further addition adversely affects the paper whiteness.For citation: Babakhanova Kh.A., Galimova Z.K., Abdunazarov M.M., Ismailov I.I. Cellulose Pulp from Mulberry Branch Bark for the Paper Industry. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2020, no. 5, pp. 193–200. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2020-5-193-200

Field experiment was carried out through 2018 season and repeated through 2019 season at El-Gemmeiza Agricultural Research Station, El-Gharbia Governorate, Egypt. These experiments aimed to study the effect of three foliar sprays with chelated magnesium and/or zinc on productivity and quality of the Egyptian cotton cultivar Giza 86. Two levels (2 and 4 g of each nutrient/liter water (,in addition to the control treatment were used. The experimental design was a randomized complete blocks with 3 replications.The data indicated that combination between chelated magnesium and chelated zinc at the two levels used significantly increased the concentrations of Mg, Zn and photosynthetic pigments in the leaves in both seasons. In addition, combination between chelated magnesium and chelated zinc at the low level (2 g/liter water of each nutrient) significantly increased total dry weight/plant, leaf area index, plant height, number of fruiting branches/plant, number of total flowers/plant, number of total bolls set/plant, boll setting percentage, earliness percentage, number of open bolls/plant, boll weight, seed index, lint percentage and seed cotton yield/feddan, fiber length, uniformity index and fiber strength in both seasons. The control treatment recorded the lowest values of these traits and significantly increased boll shedding percentage. Micronaire reading was insignificantly affected. It could be concluded this combination three times to obtain the high quality and productivity and recommended the possibility of being applied by farmers to enhance cotton productivity in light of the lack of magnesium and zinc in the soil under conditions similar to El-Gemmeiza region.

A split-plot field experiment was conducted in 2018–2019 to study the effects of nitrogen fertilizer types and fulvic acid (FA) rates on soil nitrogen and cotton growth. The nitrogen fertilizers included controlled-release urea (CRU) and urea, which were applied combined with three FA rates (90, 180 and 270 kg ha-1). The main plot was the nitrogen fertilizer type, and the subplot was the FA rate. The results showed that the lint yield of the FA180 treatment was 5.2–8.6% higher than the FA90 and FA270 treatments. Moreover, moderate FA application markedly improved the cotton leaf SPAD value (chlorophyll relative value), photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters compared with low and high FA rates. Replacing urea with CRU significantly increased the soil inorganic nitrogen and nitrogen use efficiency and also improved cotton fiber quality parameters. Meanwhile, the boll weight and seed yield of the CRU treatments were 1.5–8.4% and 3.3–19.1% higher, respectively, than the urea treatments. The interaction between nitrogen type and FA rate had a positive effect on cotton growth. Thus, the application of CRU combined with 180 kg ha-1 FA on cotton can not only improve the fiber quality and delay leaf senescence but also increase the yield and economic benefit.

Two field experiments were performed in Agricultural Farm of Sids Agricultural Research Station , ARC ,Beni-Suef Governorate , Egypt (lat .290 04N, Long .310 ob E and 30-40 m above the mean sea level) To investigate the possibility of using nano- natural rock P instead of chemical superphsphate along humic acid on productivity of cotton as well as soil properties and fertility . The design of the experiment was split plot design , where humic acid treatments (without , 10kg/fed humic acid as soil application and 2 % foliar spraying twice of humic acid solution) were located in main plot , and phosphorus treatments (without , 15.5 kg P2O5 /fed , 31.0 kg P2O5 /fed and 2% foliar spraying twice of nano rock P solution ) were developed in subplots. The results indicated that soil properties and fertility did not affected by phosphorus treatments, except phosphorus availability ,which positively increased due to 15.5 or 31.0 kg P2O5 /fed as superphosphate .) On the other hand add in 10 kg/fed humic acid improved soil pH, OM,bulk density and soil available water as well as soil available N,P and K after cotton harvest in Foliar spraying of 2% nano rock P had equal effect of additions 31.0 kgP2O5 /fed , where it increased plant height, number of fermiting branches, searlinss % , number of open balls /plot , boll weight , seed indx , seed cotton yield as well as leaf cotton content of N,P,K and chlorophyll A and B. Humic acid application improved the above mentioned growth parameter yields and yield components and life cotton content , except earliness % , where 10 kg/fed humic acid as soil application surpassed added humic acid as foliar spraying. On the other hand lint% and fiber properties did not responded to humic acid or phosphorus application . The result of the interaction showed that the best treatment for Gisaas cotton antiwar production is 2% foliar spraying of nano rock P solution or 31kg/fed P2O5 + 10 kg /fed humic acid as soil application

Planting density and genotype choice are important agronomic techniques to achieve high crop yields. This study explored how planting density and genotypes affect cotton leaf nitrogen metabolism and lint yield. Treatments included three planting densities (low, 3.00 × 104, moderate, 6.00 × 104, and high 9.00 × 104 plants ha−1) and two genotypes (Zhongmiang16 and J‐4B). A randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement was used. Planting density of 6.00 × 104 ha−1 positively influenced leaf physio‐biochemical attributes and boll production. The high planting density reduced lint yield by suppressing leaf soluble sugar, protein, amino acid, chlorophyll a, b, nitrate nitrogen and nitrite nitrogen content, nitrite reductase and nitrate reductase activity. Moderate density crop produced 15.9% and 10.7% more lint yield than low and high planting densities, respectively. This high yield was the result of improved leaf level functioning e.g. increased pigmentation and nitrogen metabolism during late reproductive growth, which increased carbon assimilation. Favorable leaf microclimate could also have sustained activities of leaf nitrate and nitrite reductase and increased amino acid and protein contents with better distribution of nitrogen metabolic assimilates. Late reproductive structure development closely allied with leaf physiological attributes under a short growing season. Cotton genotypes, irrespective of their architectural variation, produced higher lint yield when grown at 6 × 104 ha−1 in a short cropping season.

Treated municipal sewage sludge (TSS) was applied to the cotton plant at rates of 10, 20 and 30 t/ha per year. Seed cotton yield (71.4%), lint yield (67.7%) and cottonseed yield (74.1%) were increased signifi-cantly when sludge was applied at a rate of 30 t/ha (TSS3). The effects of TSS applications on seed yield, lint yield and cottonseed yield were listed as TSS3 > TSS2 > CF > TSS1 > C according to the applications. The increasing TSS levels had a positive effect and increased the total N concentration compared to the control. The highest N value was observed in TSS3 plots, while the lowest value was recorded in control (C) plots. The highest P value was found in control (C) at 0.80% and in 10 t/ha (TSS1) at 0.80%, while the lowest value was found in the TSS2 application (0.70%). The K concentration of cottonseed increased with the increasing TSS rates, from 1.56% in control plots to 2.20% in 20 t/ha application (TSS2). Corresponding to the TSS levels, the calcium of plant tissues was determined by a range of 0.12-0.13%. The treatments of TSS and mineral fertilizer had similar effects on the Mg content of cottonseed, which was in the range of 0.38-0.43%. Na content in plant tissue increased with increasing dose of sludge application compared to control soils. Increasing doses of TSS had no significant effect on the concentrations of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and boron (B) in cottonseed. The order of the elements with respect to their amounts in cottonseed was as follows: Fe > Zn > Na > B > Mn > Cu. The concentrations of non-essential elements (Ni, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg and As) in cottonseed were below the permissible limits. (c) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

The field experiment was performed at Adaptive Research Farm Karor, Layyah by sowing cotton variety (MNH-886) @ 25 kg ha -1 . The experiment was conducted by Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with a factorial arrangement and 3 replications. The fertilizer NPK was applied as per recommendation and standard agronomic practices were given at a proper time. The maximum cotton seed germination (m -2 ) was 37.00 with soaking the seed in potassium chloride solution. Maximum number of plants m -2 was (32.667) in treatment soaking seed in potassium chloride solution. Whereas a minimum number of plants m -2 were (20.66) in the control treatment. Maximum plant height (cm)was observed in treatment soaking the seed in potassium chloride solution. Whereas minimum plant height was recorded in the control treatment. Maximum monopodial branches were observed in treatment soaking the seed in potassium chloride solution, followed by soaking the seed in water for 12 hours (hydro-priming) which is statically at par with soaking the seed in calcium chloride solution. Whereas a maximum number of sympodial branches were recorded at soaking the seed in potassium chloride solution (23.33). Seed priming of cotton seed with water and salts have no affect on the number of squares, flowers, open bolls plant -1 and boll weight (g). Maximum average yield was (2700.00 kg ha -1 ) in treatment soaking seed in potassium chloride solution. Whereas minimum seed cotton yield was (2338 kg ha -1 ) in the control treatment. Maximum seed cotton yield was (901.07kg ha -1 ) in treatment soaking seed in potassium chloride solution. Whereas minimum seed cotton yield was (773.70kg ha -1 ) in the control treatment. Maximum seed lint yield was (1797.7 kg ha -1 ) in treatment soaking the seed in potassium chloride (KCl) solution. Whereas minimum seed cotton yield was (1545.6 kg ha -1 ) in the control treatment. Maximum seed index was (9.0167gm) in treatment soaking the seed in potassium chloride solution (KCl). Whereas the minimum seed index was (7.6133gm) in the control treatment. Seed priming of cotton seed with water and salts have no effect on the uniformity index (%), UHML fiber length, and micro narie value. Maximum GOT (%) was (46.033%) in soaking seed in potassium chloride solution (KCl). Whereas, minimum GOT was (42.863%) in the control treatment.

Due to the indeterminate growth habit of cotton crops, a better understanding of N status at the rational fertilizer regime is important to promote lint yield. The fertilizer-response model was employed to evaluate N status by analyzing data of shoot dry mass, N content and N concentration at different growing stages. A field study was conducted on drip-irrigated cotton plants with N fertilizer addition in total amounts of 0 (N0), 120 (N1), 240 (N2), 360 (N3) and 480 (N4) kg ha-1 in Xinjiang, China in 2016. Thirty percent of total fertilizers were applied at planting and the rest 70% were applied over six applications. The N fertilizer treatment at the accumulative rate of 70 kg ha-1 was enough to induce the N status of steady state accumulation 60 days after germination. Since 90 days the treatments that delivered the N amount between 120 and 240 kg ha-1 was deficient for cotton demand, higher rates from 360 and 480 kg ha-1 induced inherent N reserve and resulted in the highest level of yield. With regard to the practical meaning, the N fertilizer dose of 360 kg ha-1 can be used for cotton growth. The N fertilizer dose of 120 kg ha-1 can be recommended when the yield of 5,840 kg ha-1 lint can meet the goal of cotton culture. ********* In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue. *********

Declining water availability in the American Southwest continues to generate interest in efficient subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) for cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production. Fertigating urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) at low rates with high frequency is an important advantage of SDI. However, N fertilizer management guidelines, specific to SDI cotton are lacking. A 3-yr study was conducted on a Casa Grande sandy loam soil in Maricopa, AZ, USA to test a pre-plant soil profile NO3 test algorithm and a canopy reflectance approach to manage in-season N fertilizer for SDI cotton. Treatments included soil test-based N management, reflectance-based N management, and zero-N at 100 % ET irrigation replacement. A second irrigation level of 70 % ET replacement included just the soil test-based N and zero-N treatments. The five treatments were replicated three times. Soil test-based N treatments received from 172 to 224 kg N ha-1, and reflectance-based N amounts were 112 to 158 kg N ha-1. Nitrogen recovery efficiency (RE) of UAN-N was high with 24 fertigations during 6 wk between first square and mid bloom, ranging from 58 to 93 %. The isotope dilution method estimated similar RE in 2017. Residual post-harvest soil NO3-N was notable only with 70 % irrigation. Lint and seed yields were significantly reduced with the 70 % irrigation treatment compared to 100 % irrigation. The key result of this study is that reflectance-based N management saved 17 to 112 kg N ha-1 without reducing lint yields, compared to the soil test-based N treatment.

BackgroundToday, stress moderators are employed to mitigate crop loss due to the adverse effects of environmental stress. The current research aimed to investigate the impacts of time and stress moderator types on agro-physiological responses of cotton on conventional and double-cropping systems during 2017 and 2018 under saline conditions. A split-plot factorial experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Cultivation system [conventional (recommended planting date) and double-cropping systems (sowing after harvest of wheat)] were considered as the main plots, and stress moderator type at four levels [water control, 2 mmol·L–1Salicylic acid (SA), 100 mmol·L–1Glycine betaine (GB), and 100 μmol·L–1sodium nitroprusside (SNP)] and application time (flowering and flowering + bolling stages) were regarded as subplots.ResultsPlant height, reproductive branch number, the number of bolls, 10-boll weight, 1 000-seed weight, biological yield, seed cotton yield, lint yield, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, total chlorophyll, sodium, potassium, and proline content were less in double-cropping system comparing with conventional system. Spraying with the stress moderators alleviated soil salinity effects on yield, yield components, and biochemical traits of cotton. SNP spraying led to maximum plant height, branch number, the number of bolls per plant, 10-boll weight and seed cotton yield. SA spraying yielded the highest 1 000-seed weight, biological yield, lint percentage and lint yield. The highest chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, and total chlorophyll content resulted from SNP spraying. Yield, yield components, and biochemical traits did not respond to the stress moderator types in double-cropping system. However, the highest chlorophyll a, carotenoids, proline content, the number of bolls per plant, and seed cotton yield resulted from SNP spraying in conventional system. No statistically significant differences were observed between spraying with SNP and SA in most studied traits.ConclusionsThe results suggest that the optimum cotton planting time and SNP spraying could be recommended for producing the most suitable yield under saline conditions.HighlightsExternal application of stress modulators increases salinity stress tolerance.Spraying with sodium nitroprusside has more moderating effect.Agro-physiological response of cotton to moderators is stronger in early sowing.Maximum seed cotton yield was achieved at early sowing and spraying sodium nitroprusside.Delayed cultivation reduces cotton yield.

Nitrogen application rates and plant density are vital factors that influence cotton production considerably. The aim of the experiment was to study the effect of varied nitrogen (N) rate and planting densities (PD) on growth and yield performance of two cotton cultivars from different origins. The research was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with split plot arrangements. There were two nitrogen levels; low N level (F1 with 120 kg ha−1) and high N level (F2 with 180 kg ha−1) with three plant densities; 8 plants m−2 as low plant density (LPD), 10 plants m−2 as medium plant density (MPD) and 12 plants m−2 as high plant density (HPD). During this study we observed the interactive effect of N application levels and PD on cotton growth, yield performance. Results showed that FH-142 took more number of days to reach maturity as compared with Huamian-3109. Cotton plant dry biomass and crop growth rate (CGR) was also considerably influenced by N and PD levels. FH-142 produced maximum dry biomass under F1 with HPD and F2 with MPD respectively while least plant dry biomass production was noted under F1 with LPD. High CGR was noted in FH-142 under F2 with MPD. Another side, Huamian-3109 showed maximum plant dry biomass only under F1 with HPD. Least plant dry biomass production was noted under F1 with LPD. Higher total yield produced by FH-142 under F2 with MPD while Huamian-3109 produced similar and relatively higher seed cotton yield and lint yield in F1 with HPD and F2 with MPD. These combinations were recommended for better production of both cotton cultivars in agro climatic conditions of Pakistan.

The present work was aimed to investigate using of potassium fertilizer as well as nano chitosan-NPK to alleviate the negative effect of water stress and its effect on cotton plant and some water relations. Two field experiments were conducted to study the possibility of using potassium fertilizer and nano chitosan-NPK to eliminate the negative impacts of water stress. The design of the experiment was split design plot, where number of irrigation treatments (6 and 9) were arranged in main plots, while potassium fertilization, i.e., K1= 96 kg K/ha as potassium sulphate, K2= 96 kg K/ha + twice foliar application of 2% potassium sulphate, K3= 96 kg K/ha + twice foliar application with 2% nano chitosan-NPK, K4= four irrigations of foliar application with 2% potassium sulphate, and K5= four irrigations of foliar application with 2% nano chitosan-NPK. The results obtained indicated that K3 followed by K2 which achieved the favourable values of plant height, first fruiting node, number of fruiting branches/plant, number of open bolls/plant, boll weight, seed index, lint percentage, seed cotton yield. Neither potassium fertilization nor irrigation number altered fiber properties. The data of the interaction showed the combined 96 kg K/ha as potassium sulphate + twice foliar application with 2% nano chitosan-NPK can diminish the negative effect of drought stress under deficit conditions, with higher seed cotton yield nearly equal to those obtained under full irrigation. It could be concluded that potassium fertilization and nano chitosan-NPK can improve cotton plant tolerance to water stress and enhance cotton productivity.

Cotton GHB811 was developed to confer tolerance to glyphosate and HPPD inhibitor herbicides. The molecular characterisation data and bioinformatic analyses do not identify issues requiring food/feed safety assessment. None of the identified differences in the agronomic/phenotypic and compositional characteristics tested between cotton GHB811 and its conventional counterpart needs further assessment, except for % lint, lint length and dihydrosterculic acid, which do not raise nutritional and safety concerns. The GMO Panel does not identify safety concerns regarding the toxicity and allergenicity of the 2mEPSPS and HPPD W336 proteins as expressed in cotton GHB811 and finds no evidence that the genetic modification would change the overall allergenicity of cotton GHB811. In the context of this application, the consumption of food and feed from cotton GHB811 does not represent a nutritional concern in humans and animals. The GMO Panel concludes that cotton GHB811 is as safe as the conventional counterpart and non-GM cotton reference varieties tested, and no post-market monitoring of food/feed is considered necessary. In the case of accidental release of viable cotton GHB811 seeds into the environment, this would not raise environmental safety concerns. The post-market environmental monitoring plan and reporting intervals are in line with the intended uses of cotton GHB811. The GMO Panel concludes that cotton GHB811 is as safe as its conventional counterpart and the tested non-GM cotton reference varieties with respect to potential effects on human and animal health and the environment., European Commission. EFSA-Q-2018-00808

The objective of this study was to test the effects of N rates and tillage radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus) cover crop (TRCC) on soil water and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L) yield. In three years of the investigation, the treatments were N rates at 84 kg ha−1 and 140 kg ha−1 with and without TRCC. Soil water contents were measured using soil water sensors. Results showed that cotton yield was not significantly (p &gt, 0.05) influenced by TRCC. Compared to N rate at 84 kg ha−1, 140 kg N ha−1 increased lint yield by 2.0%, 7.4%, 18.4% in 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively, but the increase was significant only in 2019 (p &lt, 0.02). Interactions between TRCC and nitrogen rate on yield were significant (p &lt, 0.03) only in 2017. TRCC increased soil water infiltration capacity, resulting in higher soil water content. Use of TRCC did not affect the cotton yield, which could be due to the high inputs of water and high rates of N neutralizing the positive contributions to the cotton growth expected from the TRCC. Sub-optimum winter temperatures hampered the establishment and subsequent growth of TRCC, which also possibly contributed to its minimum impacts on cotton crop performance in the following season.

Two field experiments were conducted on a clay soil at El-Gemmeiza Agricultural Research Station, El-Gharbia Governorate, Egypt during 2016 and 2017 seasons, to study the effect of foliar spraying with three organic acids (propionic, citric and ascorbic acids) and potassium citrate in mixture (two portions potassium citrate, one portion propionic acid, one portion citric acid and one portion ascorbic acids), where three rates of the mixture (4, 8 and 10 g/L) were foliar spraying two times ( at start of flowering and top of flowering) and three times (during squaring stage, start of flowering and top of flowering) in compared to control (untreated plants) on cotton growth, earliness traits, seed cotton yield and its components of Giza 86 cotton cultivar. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four replicates. The important results could be summarized as follows: Untreated plants and plants which received 4g of the mixture/l twice gave the tallest plants with higher number of fruiting branches in both seasons, while the shortest plants were obtained from plants received 10 g of the mixture/l three times or two times in the first and second seasons, respectively, with lower number of fruiting branches. Number of total bolls/plant and boll setting percentage significantly responded to concentrations and number of applications in favor of foliar spraying with 4g of the mixture /L three times. However, the control (untreated plants) produced the lowest values of these traits and the highest values of shedding% in both seasons. The tested treatments gave significant effect on number of open bolls/plant, boll weight, seed index, lint % and seed cotton yield per feddan in both seasons, where the superiority was found in favor of foliar spraying with 4 and 8 g/l three times (during squaring stage, start of flowering and top of flowering) as compared to the other treatments.

Field trials were conducted near Lubbock, TX, in 2013, 2014, and 2015 to evaluate non–2,4-D–resistant cotton response to low rates of glyphosate plus 2,4-D choline. Cotton was treated with five rates of glyphosate plus 2,4-D choline (0.0183, 0.183, 1.83, 18.3, and 183 g ae ha−1) at two application timings (nine leaf and first bloom). These rates correspond to contamination rates of 0.0008%, 0.008%, 0.08%, 0.8%, and 8%, respectively. Visual cotton injury, boll retention, lint yield, and fiber properties were recorded. When averaged over contamination rates, visual injury after applications made to nine-leaf cotton was greater than for first-bloom cotton in three of 3 yr and yield loss was greater when applications were made to nine-leaf cotton when compared with first-bloom cotton in two of 3 yr. Averaged over application timing, lint yield in 2013, 2014, and 2015 after glyphosate plus 2,4-D choline contamination rates of 0.0008% and 0.008% were not different than that of the nontreated control, whereas contamination rates of 0.08%, 0.8%, and 8% decreased yield by 3% to 20%, 45% to 58%, and 80% to 96%, respectively. Contamination rates of 0.0008%, 0.008%, 0.08%, and 0.8% rarely affected fiber quality; however, a contamination rate of 8% frequently decreased micronaire, fiber length, fiber length uniformity, and fiber strength. This decrease in fiber quality also resulted in a reduction in cotton loan value and potential financial return. Although decreases in fiber quality parameters were not observed with the 0.8% contamination rate, significant reductions in financial return occurred due to yield loss caused by injury from glyphosate plus 2,4-D choline.

Stubble return is a proposed practice for soil amelioration and yield improvement. However, from the perspective of reducing soil salinity and improving soil nutrient availability, we have little knowledge of the effect of successive stubble return on cotton yield and nutrient uptake when cotton stubble is incorporated into saline field soil. Hence, a 5-year field study was conducted to investigate the effects of successive stubble management (stubble return and stubble removal) on lint yield and nutrient uptake of cotton, soil nutrients and salinity in the 0–80-cm soil profile. Stubble return increased lint yield by 22.7% and 47.3% in the fourth and fifth year, respectively, mainly through the production of more and larger bolls and the acquisition of more nutrients compared with stubble removal. 5-year cotton stubble return produced 20.0% more bolls and 7.7% larger bolls than stubble removal. Cotton plants accumulated 58.9% more nitrogen (N), 54.5% more phosphorus (P), and 48.2% more potassium (K) under stubble return than stubble removal during the last two years of the experiment. Stubble return increased internal N use efficiency (iNUE) and internal K use efficiency (iKUE) at the fourth or fifth year compared with stubble removal, without influence on internal P use efficiency (iPUE). Stubble return decreased soil pH and salinity in the 0–40-cm soil layer in the fourth and fifth year. The soil nitrate content below the 40-cm soil layer was reduced, while the nitrate concentration in the 0–20-cm soil layer increased after 4 years of stubble return. Available K in the 0–40-cm soil layer increased, while available P in the 0–20-cm soil layer was reduced after 5 years of stubble return. Our analyses demonstrate that cotton stubble return has the potential to improve cotton yield and may be an effective practice to apply in coastal saline areas.

Lint percentage is an important cotton (Gossipium hirsutum L.) lint yield character which may have a close association with photoassimilates partitioning between fibers and seeds. A three-year field experiment was conducted with an aim to determine whether or not the formation of lint percentage is associated with sucrose metabolism in both of fibers and seeds, and potential contributors to the performance of lint percentage. Two upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) lines A705 and A201 differing in lint percentage and seed size were employed to examine genotypic difference in within-boll yield components, nonstructural carbohydrate components (hexose, sucrose and starch) and key sucrose metabolism enzymes across 2015–2017. A705 had greater lint mass per boll, lint index, and higher lint percentage and cellulose content in fibers, but smaller boll weight, seed mass per boll, seed index and lower oil content in embryos compared to A201. The result indicated that the fiber sink strength was greater in A705 than in A201, but the reverse was true of the seed sink strength. A705 exhibited consistently higher sucrose concentration and sucrose synthase (Sus) activity in fibers during fiber development relative to A201, while the latter recorded consistently higher sucrose concentration and Sus activity in younger ovules during 5–17 days post anthesis (DPA) and in older embryos and seed coats during 24 DPA to 45 DPA. Higher starch concentration and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity with seed coats were detected in A705 than in A201, implying sucrose synthesized by SPS in A705 at sink storage stage is preferentially partitioned to starch biosynthesis in seed coats. It is concluded that a higher lint percentage in A705 than in A201 is attributable to a combination of greater fiber sink strength and smaller seed sink strength available in the former relative to the latter. Sucrose and Sus may function as key biomarkers for assessing fiber and ovule sink strengths.

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) weeds are the biggest concern for all cotton stakeholders worldwide. Currently, 43 weeds species are resistant to glyphosate and the number is increasing at an alarming rate. Soil residual/pre-emergence (PRE) herbicides like Pendimethalin and S-metolachlor can be effectively used for the control of GR weeds; however, their use is very limited at farmer’s side due to the adoption of herbicide-tolerant technology with complete reliance on glyphosate. The present study was conducted to evaluate the performance of PRE and post-emergence (POST) herbicides in glyphosate-tolerant (GT) cotton. The herbicide treatments were pendimethalin and S-metolachlor as PRE-residual, and glyphosate was applied as POST at 20 days after sowing (DAS) either alone or in combination with other herbicides like S-metolachlor, pendimethalin, and haloxyfop. A second application of glyphosate was made at 35 DAS. Results revealed that pendimethalin and S-metolachlor treatments gave 100% suppression of all dominant weeds and increased lint yield by 310–350% as compared to weedy control. In contrast, glyphosate applied once and twice, gave weed biomass reduction of only 10–86%, and increased lint yield by 136–185% over weedy control. This research established that PRE application of pendimethalin and S-metolachlor can be included in the weed management program of GT cotton.

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between heterosis and genetic distance in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Heterosis in the different environments was evaluated and the relationship between heterosis and genetic distance (GD) was determined based on SSR markers for yield quantitative trait loci (QTL). Yields of seed cotton and lint showed a linear relationship with mid‐parent heterosis (MPH) and better‐parent heterosis (BPH). The variation in heterosis for other traits and their correlation with GD may be due to environmental factors or the effort of QTLs tested in the present study may vary in different environments. The present findings provide a foundation for heterotic grouping of parental lines and breeding of new cotton hybrids with improved seed cotton yield. This study calls for more research with stable QTLs as well as advance molecular marker techniques may be used in predicting yield heterosis in a more precise and reliable manner.

The fast fruiting and early maturing cotton varieties demand higher potassium (K) supply to achieve full yield potential. The supplemental foliar application of K may enhance the efficacy of soil applied basal dose of K. The main objective of this study was to quantify the impact of foliar application of KNO3 alone and in combination with soil applied K on cotton yield and lint quality. The treatments included control (no K application), four foliar sprays of 2% KNO3, 100 kg K2O ha−1 to soil, 200 kg K2O ha−1 to soil, combination of 100 kg K2O ha−1 to soil + four foliar sprays of 2% KNO3, and combination of 200 kg K2O ha−1 to soil + four foliar sprays of 2% KNO3. The results revealed that foliar and basal-applied K in alone and in different combinations significantly improved the plant morphology, seed cotton yield, boll characteristics and K concentrations in various plant parts. The K concentration in vegetative and boll components was improved with the higher K application rate. On overall basis, a yield benefit of 406 and 432.5 kg ha−1 was achieved with foliar spray in combination with 100 and 200 kg K2O ha−1 compared to their respective sole soil application. Non-significant differences for ginning out turn (GOT), staple length, strength, micronaire and uniformity index due to various K application methods indicate that K fertilization does not improve the fiber quality and GOT when soil has adequate K levels. It is concluded that foliar K application should be combined with basal K applications to achieve the highest returns from cotton grown on K-deficient soils.

Cotton is considered to be one of the most sensitive crops to the herbicide 2,4-D, however, there are no studies related to the effects of contamination of this herbicide on the fiber quality characteristics of cotton. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sub-doses of 2,4-D choline salt formulation on the quality characteristics of cotton fiber at different phenological stages. The experimental design was based on randomized blocks, with four repetitions and treatments distributed in a 7 x 3 factorial design, with seven fractions of the mean label dose of the herbicide 2,4-D choline salt formulation (0 (control); 0.4275; 0.855; 1.71; 3.42; 8.55; 17.1 g a.e. ha-1), associated with three different phenological stages of cotton: V4, B4 and C4. The lint samples were analyzed by the HVI (High Volume Instruments) equipment to determine the main fiber quality characteristics. No sub-dose of the 2,4-D choline salt herbicide affected the fiber quality variables. Contaminations of 2,4-D choline salt at the V4 and B4 stages of cotton directly influence the visual effects of damage and some quality characteristics of cotton fiber, showing that contamination of the herbicide in the initial stages of plant development drastically compromises the crop. The fiber quality variables of cotton plants in the C4 stage were not influenced by the application of 2,4-D choline salt, with no risk if accidental contamination occurs in this stage. RESUMO O algodoeiro é considerado como uma das culturas mais sensíveis ao herbicida 2,4-D, no entanto, não existem estudos relacionados aos efeitos de contaminações desse herbicida sob as características de qualidade da fibra do algodoeiro. Por conta disso, objetivou-se com a realização deste trabalho avaliar o efeito de subdoses de 2,4-D formulação sal colina sobre as características de qualidade da fibra do algodoeiro em diferentes estádios fenológicos. Adotou-se o delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições e os tratamentos distribuídos em esquema fatorial 7 x 3, sendo sete frações da dose média do rótulo do herbicida 2,4-D formulação sal colina (0 (testemunha); 0,4275; 0,855; 1,71; 3,42; 8,55; 17,1 g ea ha-1), associadas a três estádios fenológicos distintos do algodoeiro: V4, B4 e C4. As amostras de pluma foram analisadas pelo equipamento HVI (High Volume Instruments) para determinação das principais características de qualidade da fibra. Nenhuma subdose do herbicida 2,4-D sal colina afetou as variáveis de qualidade da fibra. Contaminações de 2,4-D sal colina nos estádios V4 e B4 do algodoeiro influenciam diretamente os efeitos visuais de injúria e de algumas características de qualidade da fibra de algodão, evidenciando que contaminações do herbicida nas fases iniciais de desenvolvimento das plantas comprometem drasticamente a lavoura. As variáveis de qualidade da fibra de plantas de algodoeiro no estádio C4 não foram influenciadas pela aplicação de 2,4-D sal colina, não havendo riscos caso ocorra contaminações acidentais neste estádio.

Rollers/crimpers have been used to terminate cover crops typically with supplemental herbicide application to speed-up termination. Due to environmental concerns, there is a need to reduce herbicide use. In the Southern USA, the cash crop is typically planted three weeks after a rolled cover crop reaches more than 90% kill rate which eliminates competition with the cash crop for water and nutrients. A three-year replicated field experiment was initiated in the fall of 2014 to determine the effects of recurring rolling by experimental rollers/crimpers in terminating a cereal rye cover crop in central Alabama and how multiple rolling affected soil strength. Experimental 2-stage (one smooth drum and one crimping drum), 4-stage (one smooth drum and three crimping drums), spiral, and smooth rollers were tested to roll rye 1, 2, and 3 times (conducted at the same day). A smooth roller with mounted spray boom applying glyphosate rolling once was also evaluated, and untreated rye was the control. Rye was terminated at the milk growth stage and was evaluated one, two and three weeks after rolling. At one week after rolling, the highest rye kill rate was obtained with rolling three times by the 4-stage (96%), 2-stage (92%), spiral roller (81%), rolling once by the smooth roller with glyphosate (94%) compared to the untreated rye at 37%. At two weeks after rolling no differences among rollers were found (91% to 98%), the untreated rye was 54%. Similarly, at three weeks after rolling no differences were detected among rollers (99% to 100%), the untreated rye was 86%. Rolling 2 or 3 times compared with rolling one time did not cause soil compaction. However, at the 15 cm depth cone index (CI) did exceed 2 MPa (a critical value of root penetration restriction), although this CI increase was solely related to decrease in gravimetric soil moisture content (GMC). In addition, over three growing seasons, the seed cotton yield was not affected by rolling treatments with the average yield of 3601 kg ha&minus, 1 (1512 kg ha&minus, 1 of cotton lint).

Microplastics, particularly microfibers, are ubiquitous, found in aquatic (freshwater and marine) and terrestrial environments and within the food web worldwide. It is well-established that microplastics in the form of textile fibers enter the environment via washing machines and wastewater treatment effluent. Less is known about the release of microfibers from electric clothes dryers. In this study we measure microfiber emissions from home installed dryers at two different sites. At each site the distribution of fibers landing on the snow's surface outside dryer vents and the weight of lint in dryer exhaust exiting dryer vents were measured. Fibers from the pink polyester fleece blankets used in this study were found in plots throughout a 30ft (9.14m) radius from the dryer vents, with an average number across all plots of 404 ± 192 (SD) (Site 1) and 1,169 ± 606 (SD) (Site 2). The majority of the fibers collected were located within 5 ft (1.52m) of the vents. Averages of 35 ± 16(SD)mg (Site 1) and 70 ± 77 (SD)mg (Site 2) of lint from three consecutive dry cycles were collected from dryer vent exhaust. This study establishes that electric clothes dryers emit masses of microfiber directly into the environment. Microfiber emissions vary based on dryer type, age, vent installation and lint trap characteristics. Therefore, dryers should be included in discussions when considering strategies, policies and innovations to prevent and mitigate microfiber pollution.

Cultivar BRS 433FL B2RF is a high-quality fiber upland cotton with high lint yield potential and resistance to several diseases. The introgressed trans-genic events Bollgard II® and Roundup Ready Flex® confer enhanced resistance to lepidopteran pests and tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate, respectively. Fiber length exceeds 32.5 mm and fiber strength 33 gf tex-1. Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-03T09:02:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cultivar-BRS-433FL.pdf: 327178 bytes, checksum: ffd2f388d62c98a6c847c4a0a900b0ff (MD5) Previous issue date: 2020

Novel intra-boll yield component traits and fiber quality indices have been used by breeders to select suitable Gossypium hirsutum L. lines, but there is little research on how these traits change during cultivation practices, especially fertilizer application. We hypothesized that these novel traits have obvious responses to phosphorus (P) fertilizer, which would explain the variation in yield and fiber quality under different P conditions. To address this hypothesis, a field test was conducted with a low-P sensitive cotton cultivar (Lu 54) and a low-P tolerant cotton cultivar (Yuzaomian 9110) under different P fertilizer rates (0 as control, 100, and 200 kg P2O5 ha−1) from 2016 to 2018. The results showed that P fertilizer application (100, and 200 kg P2O5 ha−1) increased the lint yield, and bolls per ha contributed most to the increase in lint yield, followed by boll weight and lint percentage. The increased bolls per ha under P fertilizer application was due to the accelerated process of boll forming and the slowing of shedding process. The increased boll weight under P fertilizer application could be explained by the higher seed biomass per boll and fiber biomass per boll, especially the latter. The higher seed biomass per boll was due to the increased seeds per boll, and higher fiber biomass per boll should be attributed to the increased fibers per seed under P fertilizer application. The positive contribution of lint percentage to lint yield formation under P fertilizer application could be attributed to the increased fiber biomass per seed. P fertilizer application decreased fiber micronaire, indicating that fiber thickness was decreased by extra P fertilizer, which might be associated with the negative effects of increased fibers per seed and fiber density. In addition, P fertility application promoted the elongation of fiber cells and fiber length uniformity, and increased fiber strength. The end result was an increase in the comprehensive fiber quality index (Q-score) after P application. Moreover, compared to Yuzaomian 9110, yield traits including lint yield, bolls per ha, seeds per boll, seed index, and SSA, and quality indices including fiber length, fiber strength, and Q-score were more sensitive to P fertilizer application in Lu 54.

Field experiments were conducted to determine the effect of different harvest-aid defoliants, their application rates and time of application [140 and 150 days after sowing (DAS)] on yield of seed cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). MRC7361BGII (3171.8 kg/ha) and MRC7017BGII (3083.3 kg/ha) produced significantly higher yield as compared to F1861 (2454.9 kg/ha). Improved water and fertilizer use efficiency coupled with better Benefit: Cost (B : C) ratio for Dropp ultra 200 ml/ha at 150 DAS clearly indicated its superiority over other treatments. Dropp ultra showed potential to improve yield besides promoting crop earliness while keeping vegetative and reproductive growth in harmony. The cotton plant is a perennial with an indeterminate growth habit and reputed to have the most complex growth habit of all major row crops (Oosterhuis 1999). One challenge of producing cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in the north-western Indian cotton belt is to get the crop matured within a defined period prior to commencement of Rabi season in November. In this region, producers seek to shift cotton from vegetative to reproductive growth in mid-season to assure adequate time for bolls to mature and consequently timely sowing of wheat. Use of harvest-aid defoliants may be helpful in this regard. In developed countries, defoliants have been widely used in cotton production for adjusting plant growth and improve lint yield and fiber quality (ElKassaby and Kandil 1985, Larson et al. 2002). In the present work, it was intended to study the effect of harvest-aid defoliants on seed cotton yield and also identify suitable defoliant with optimum dose along with ideal time of application to realize high productivity and to study their economic viability. The experiment was conducted during Kharif 2011 and 2012 at Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Faridkot which lies in Trans-Gangetic agro-climatic zone, representing the Indo-Gangetic alluvial plains (30 0 40’N and 74 0 44 ’E) of Punjab situated at 200 m above mean sea level. The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam, with normal pH (8.04), EC (0.22 dS/m), O.C (0.51%), medium in available P (16 kg/ha) but high in available K (515 kg/ha). The experiment comprising of three high-yielding cultivars (F1861, MRC7361BGII and MRC7017BGII) in main, four defoliants [Control; Dropp ultra i.e {Thiadiuron 36% SC + Diuron 18% SC} 200 ml /ha; Dropp ultra 225 ml/ha and Ethrel {2-chloro ethyl phosphonic acid} @ 2000 ppm] in sub and two times of application (140 and 150 DAS) in sub sub plots was conducted in split plot design replicated thrice. Total amount of rainfall was 575.8 and 223.6 mm for the year 2011 and 2012, respectively. Total rainy days (41) were higher during 2011 as compared to only 28 days in the year 2012. A total of 6 and 7 irrigations were applied during 2011 and 2012, respectively to raise the crop successfully. A maximum temperature of 40.9 0 C was recorded in

This research evaluated the profitability and nitrogen (N) efficiency of real time on-the-go optical sensing measurements (OPM) for variable-rate (VRT) N management for cotton. Two forms of OPM-based VRT N management and the existing farmer practice (FP) were used to determine N rates applied to cotton on 21 farm fields in the lower Mississippi River Basin states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, USA. A modified version of the Schabenberger and Pierce on-farm experimentation model was used to evaluate VRT N management and landscape, soil and weather factors on lint yields, N rates, N efficiency (lint yield divided by N rate) and net returns. Field level mean lint yields were not different between VRT and FP. VRT decreased N rates applied on four fields and increased N rates applied on four other fields. However, landscape, soil and weather attributes specific to fields influenced VRT N rates. VRT N rates were similar to FP N rates on the other fields in the study. N efficiency was not improved with VRT N management. N rates were not low enough to increase N efficiency. Changes in lint yields and N rates due to VRT coupled with USDA NRCS Environmental Quality Incentive Program cost-share payments were not sufficient to produce higher net returns relative to FP N management at the field level. In this multi-site, multi-year study, yields and net returns from VRT were not different from FPs which did not utilize variable rate N management.

Background Long-term rotary tillage has led to the deterioration of cotton production in northern China. This deterioration is due to the disturbance of topsoil, a dense plough pan at the 20–50 cm depth, and the decreased water storage capacity. A 2-yr field experiment was performed from 2014 to 2015 to explore a feasible soil tillage approach to halting the deterioration. The experiment consisted of four treatments: replacing the topsoil from the 0–15 cm layer with the subsoil from the 15–30 cm layer (T1); replacing the topsoil from the 0–20 cm layer with the subsoil from the 20–40 cm layer and subsoiling at the 40–55 cm layer (T2); replacing the topsoil from the 0–20 cm layer with the subsoil from the 20–40 cm layer and subsoiling at the 40–70 cm layer (T3); and conventional surface rotary tillage within 15 cm as the control (CK). Results The results indicated that the soil bulk densities at the 20–40 cm layer in T2 were 0.13 g·cm− 3 and 0.15 g·cm− 3 lower than those obtained from CK in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The total nitrogen (N) and the available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents from the 20–40 cm layer in T2 and T3 were significantly higher than those in CK and T1. The amount of soil water stored in the 0–40 cm layer of T2 at the squaring stage of cotton was 15.3 mm and 13.4 mm greater than that in CK in 2014 and 2015, respectively, when the weather was dry. Compared with CK, T2 increased cotton lint yield by 6.1 and 10.2 percentage points in 2014 and 2015, respectively, which was due to the improved roots within the 20–60 cm layer, the greater number of bolls per plant and the higher boll weight in the T2 treatment. Conclusions The results suggested that soil replacement plus subsoiling would be a good alternative to current practices in order to break through the bottleneck constraining cotton production in northern China. Replacing the topsoil in the 0–20 cm layer with the soil from the 20–40 cm layer plus subsoiling at the 40–55 cm layer would be the most effective method.

Two cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars, Kemian 1 (cool temperature-tolerant) and Sumian 15 (cool temperature-sensitive) were used to study the effects of cool temperature on carbohydrates, yield, and fiber quality in cotton bolls located at different fruiting positions (FP). Cool temperatures were created using late planting and low light. The experiment was conducted in 2010 and 2011 using two planting dates (OPD, the optimized planting date, 25 April; LPD, the late planting date, 10 June) and two shading levels of crop relative light rate (CRLR, 100 and 60%). Compared with fruiting position 1 (FP1), cotton yield and yield components (fiber quality, leaf sucrose and starch content, and fiber cellulose) were all decreased on FP3 under all treatments. Compared with OPD-CRLR 100%, other treatments (OPD-CRLR 60%, LPD-CRLR 100%, and LPD-CRLR 60%) had significantly decreased lint yield at both FPs of both cultivars, but especially at FP3 and in Sumian 15; this decrease was mainly caused by a large decline in boll number. All fiber quality indices decreased under late planting and shading except fiber length at FP1 with OPD-CRLR 60%, and a greater reduction was observed at FP3 and in Sumian 15. Sucrose content of the subtending leaf and fiber increased under LPD compared to OPD, whereas it decreased under CRLR 60% compared to CRLR 100%, which led to decreased fiber cellulose content. Therefore, shading primarily decreased the “source” sucrose content in the subtending leaf whereas late planting diminished translocation of sucrose towards cotton fiber. Notably, as planting date was delayed and light was decreased, more carbohydrates were distributed to leaf and bolls at FP1 than those at FP3, resulting in higher yield and better fiber quality at FP1, and a higher proportion of bolls and carbohydrates allocated at FP3 of Kemian 1 compared to that of Sumian 15. In conclusion, cotton yield and fiber quality were reduced less at FP1 compared to those at FP3 under low temperature and low light conditions. Thus, reduced cotton yield and fiber quality loss can be minimized by selecting low temperature tolerant cultivars under both low temperature and light conditions.

Two field experiments were carried out at the Farm of Sids Research Station, BaniSwef Governorate, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt, during the two successive seasons of 2016 and 2017. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of three population density through five plant distribution, i.e. 64615 plants/fed from 10 cm between hills with leaving single plant/hill (A), 64615 plants/fed from 20 cm between hills with leaving double plants/hill (B), 43076 plants/fed from 15 cm between hills with leaving single plant/hill (c), 43076 plants/fed from 30 cm between hills with leaving double plants/hill (D) and 51692 plants/fed from 25 cm between hills with leaving double plants/hill (E) under four nitrogen fertilizer levels, i.e. (30, 45, 60 and 75 Kg N/fed) on growth, flowering, yield components and yield as well as fiber quality properties for the Egyptian cotton (Gossypium barbadense, L.), variety Giza 95. Significant differences were detected for allmost growth, flowers, yield components and yield as well as fiber properties of cotton among the three plant densities through five plant distributions or four nitrogen fertilizer levels during 2016 and 2017 seasons. Planting pattern of D significantly surpassed the other plant densities and distributions and gave the greatest values in No. of sympodia/plant, No. of fruiting sites/plant, No. of open bolls/plant, boll weight, seed index, seed cotton yield/plant, upper half mean length and uniformity index % as well as significantly gave the shortest period from planting to first flower appearance and lowest values of plant losses % at harvest. Meanwhile, planting pattern of E significantly gave the highest values of seed and lint cotton yields/fed. On the other hand, the greatest values of plant height, No. of days to first flower appearance, lint % and plant losses % were obtained from planting pattern of A. While, planting pattern of B gave the lowest values of micronaire reading. While, the maximum values of strength (g/tex) was recorded from planting pattern of C. plant height, No. of sympodia/plant, No. of days to first flower appearance, No. of fruiting sites/plant, No. of open bolls/plant, boll weight, seed index, seed cotton yield/plant, seed cotton yield/fed, lint cotton yield/fed and uniformity index % showed significantly increased by increasing nitrogen fertilizer levels from 30 up to 75 kg N/fad, except lint % and micronaire reading were significantly decreased in the both seasons. Results revealed that planting pattern of D under soil fertilized by 75 kg N/fed gave the maximum values of No. of sympodia/plant, No. of fruiting sites/plant, No. of open bolls/plant, boll weight and seed cotton yield/plant. While, planting pattern of E with the same level of nitrogen produced the maximum values of seed and lint cotton yields/fed. Meanwhile, the greatest values of plant height and the longest period from planting to first flower appearance were obtained from planting pattern of A when received 75 kg N/fed during both growing seasons. It could be summarized that planting cotton plants (Giza 95) under planting patterns of D or E with soil fertilized by 75 kg N/fad to maximized quantity and quality of cotton yield characters.

Apical dominance inhibition is important in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production due to its indeterminate growth habit. Apical dominance can be inhibited physically by the manual removal of apical buds or chemically by the application of plant growth regulators. However, knowledge of the yield and boll distribution of cotton under different methods of apical dominance inhibition remains limited. Thus, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different methods of apical dominance inhibition (physical inhibition, chemical inhibition and no inhibition) on the plant growth, within-plant boll distribution, crop maturity, yield and fiber quality of cotton from 2016 to 2018. Compared with no inhibition, chemical inhibition and especially physical inhibition reduced plant height, whereas only physical inhibition promoted the ratio of fruiting sites to fruiting branches, which indicated that chemical inhibition resulted in a more compact plant type than physical inhibition. Earlier crop maturity was observed with both physical and chemical inhibition methods than without inhibition, and this finding was attributed to a higher number of inner bolls at lower and middle nodes. The lint yield response to the different inhibition methods varied among years and between varieties. The lint yield of XIN4 was significantly enhanced by physical inhibition and chemical inhibition in 2 of the 3 years, by an average of 11.5 % and 8.7 %, respectively. An effect of inhibition method on the lint yield of CRI60 was observed only in 2016, in which physical inhibition significantly improved the lint yield by 14.0 % compared with that obtained without inhibition. Chemical inhibition achieved a similar lint yield to physical inhibition in all three years. Fiber quality was slightly reduced under chemical inhibition compared to physical inhibition, but the values were within the acceptable range regarding grade standards. Overall, although apical dominance inhibition did not consistently improve lint yield, it remains a desirable management tool for achieving a favorable cotton architecture for mechanical harvest. Additionally, chemical inhibition appears to be a promising alternative to physical inhibition in cotton production due to its simplicity as a management tool.

Neonicotinoid insecticides are currently one of two classes of chemicals available as a seed treatment for growers to manage early season insect pests of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. (Malvales: Malvaceae), and they are used on nearly 100% of cotton hectares in the midsouthern states. An analysis was performed on 100 seed-treatment trials from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee to determine the value of neonicotinoid seed treatments in cotton production systems. The analysis compared seed treated with neonicotinoid insecticides seed treatments plus a fungicide with seed only treated with fungicide. When analyzed by state, cotton yields were significantly greater when neonicotinoid seed treatments were used compared with fungicide-only treatments. Cotton treated with neonicotinoid seed treatments yielded 123, 142, 95, and 104 kg ha-1, higher than fungicide only treatments for Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, respectively. Across all states, neonicotinoid seed treatments provided an additional 115 kg lint ha-1 comparedwith fungicide only treated seed. Average net returns from cotton with a neonicotinoid seed treatment were $1,801 per ha-1 compared with $1,660 per ha-1 for cottonseed treated with fungicide only. Economic returns for cotton with neonicotinoid seed treatments were significantly greater than cottonseed treated with fungicide only in 8 out of 15 yr representing every state. These data show that neonicotinoid seed treatments provide significant yield and economic benefits in Mid-South cotton compared with fungicide only treated seed.

Two field experiments were conducted at Sids Agricultural Research Station, Beni - Suef Governorate, Egypt in 2015 and 2016 seasons to study the effect of the integrated inorganic NPK fertilizers in combined with organic manure as well as foliar spraying of micronutrients on some growth parameters (plant height, first fruiting branch, number of fruiting branches, number of green branches and total bolls/plant), seed cotton yield and its components (number of open polls/plant, boll weight, yield/plant, lint percentage and seed cotton yield/fed) as well as some soil properties. The experimental design was split plot in four replication, where the inorganic – organic treatments, i.e.,100 % NPK (100 RDF), 75 % NPK (75 % RDF) + 5 t FYM /fed and 50 % NPK (50 % RDF) + 10 t FYM /fed were located in main plots and micronutrient treatments (without micronutrients, Fe, Mn, Zn, Fe + Mn, Fe + Zn, Mn + Zn and Fe + Mn + Zn) were set up in sub plots. The statistical analysis showed that, in general, 50 % RDF+ l0 t FYM / fed produced tallest plant, greatest number of fruiting branches and best node number of first fruiting branches, while 100 % RDF recorded higher number of green branches and number of total bolls / plant. Meanwhile, 75 % RDF + 5t FYM /fed showed the best seed cotton yield and its attributes, except lint % which did not affect. Foliar spraying of Fe, Zn, Fe + Zn and Mn + Zn found to have the best treatment for growth and yield attributes as well as seed cotton yield. The interaction between treatments indicated that 75 % RDF + 5t FYM /fed + foliar spraying of Fe, Zn, Fe + Zn or Mn + Zn found to be the best treatments for cotton production. FYM application improved soil properties, except soil salinity, which increased due to organic manure.

Nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency (NUE) is low in surface-irrigated cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), especially when adding N to irrigation water. A NO₃ soil-test algorithm was compared with canopy reflectance-based N management with surface- overhead sprinkler-irrigation in central Arizona. The surface irrigation studies also compared fertigation of N fertilizer with knifing-in of N and the addition of a urease and nitrification inhibitor (Agrotain Plus, Koch Agronomic Services, Wichita, KS) to urea ammonium nitrate (UAN). Cotton lint and seed yields responded positively to N fertilizer in all four site-years. Recovery efficiency (RE) of N at low N fertilizer rates (60 to 76 kg N ha–¹) ranged from 21 to 61% with surface irrigation and from 81 to 97% with overhead sprinkler irrigation. Deep percolation below 1.8 m was 4 to 11% of applied surface irrigations and rain, but was undetectable in the overhead sprinkler. Leaching of NO₃ was apparently the largest N loss pathway in the surface-irrigated system. Fertigating UAN into surface irrigation resulted in similar lint yields and RE as knifing UAN. Use of Agrotain Plus with UAN gave similar yields and RE as using UAN alone. Reflectance-based N management using normalized difference vegetation index-amber (NDVIA) saved 50% of N fertilizer of the full soil-test based dose without a yield reduction in three of four site- years. Nitrogen fertilizer was over-prescribed with the soil-test-based treatment. This may have been due to not accounting for N mineralization, which the reflectance method indirectly measures.

Non-optimal application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production systems often results from a producer’s uncertainty in predicting the N rate that ensures maximum economic return. Residual soil nitrate-N (NO3-N) is also often unaccounted for in fertilizer management decisions. In this study, the lint yield and profitability of two cotton cultivars (FiberMax FM 958 and Deltapine DP 1646 B2XF) were compared across five N fertilizer treatments [0 kg ha−1 (control), 45 kg ha−1 (N-45), 90 kg ha−1 (N-90), 135 kg ha−1 (N-135), 180 kg ha−1 (N-180)] from 2018 to 2020. For both cultivars, additional N fertilizer on top of the control treatment did not increase the lint yield of cotton. For each year, both control and N-45 treatments resulted in the greatest revenue above variable costs (RAVC) values for all cultivars. The improved N partitioning efficiency in newer cultivars and the high levels of residual soil NO3-N allowed sustained plant growth and yield even with reduced N application. Overall, the results show the advantage of reducing N inputs in residual N-rich soils to maintain yield and increase profits. These findings are important in promoting more sustainable agricultural systems through reduced chemical inputs and maintained soil health.

Recently published information on cotton agronomic and photosynthetic component responses to nitrogen (N) application rate is limited for the southeastern US. This experiment was conducted to 1) evaluate cotton yield, fiber quality, growth, and maturity responses to N application rate and 2) quantify associations between photosynthetic component processes and N-induced variation in net photosynthesis. A two-year field experiment was conducted during the 2015 and 2016 growing seasons at a field site in Tifton, GA and evaluated cotton agronomic and physiological response to six N fertilizer application rates ranging from 0 to 168 kg N ha−1. Cotton lint yield was 42–51% lower in 0 N treatments than all other fertilized treatments in both years of the study, and N rates that substantially limited yield decreased final plant height, reduced mainstem node development, and substantially hastened maturity. Date of cutout ranged from 73 to 91 DAP for all N rates and years of the study. Photosynthetic rates were also responsive to N rate on later sample dates (July and August) for both growing seasons. Although declines in chlorophyll content, specific leaf nitrogen, and stomatal conductance were observed for low N plants in some instances, none of these parameters were strongly associated with net photosynthesis overall. In contrast, light-dependent electron transport rate (ETR) was strongly correlated with N-induced variation in net photosynthesis. Estimates of ETR may need to be included along with SLN estimates in future efforts to scale from leaf to canopy level photosynthetic performance in cotton.

Cotton and polyester are the main elements of dryer lint that is generated while drying clothes, and thus it could serve as a promising and sustainable source of renewable energy. In this regard, this is the first research developed to investigate potential applications of dryer lint in the energy recovery field using a pyrolysis process. The suggested strategy was started by collecting dryer lint samples from three different households, followed by analysis of morphology, chemical composition, and elemental analysis of the collected samples using Scanning Electron Microscope- Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and ICP, FTIR, Elemental Analyser, respectively. Subsequently, TG-FTIR/GC–MS system was employed to study thermal and chemical decomposition of the collected lint samples up to 900 °C and to simulate the pyrolysis process. Also, the effects of heating rates (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 °C/min) on slow pyrolysis properties and the synthesized chemical compounds of lint were investigated. Finally, the kinetic of pyrolysis of dryer lint for each heating rate using a model-free methods, including Kissinger, Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, and Friedman model was studied based on the TGA-DTG results. The results showed that the collected lint samples contained a huge amount of polyester, cellulose, etc., that could facilitate significantly the conversion energy process. Meanwhile, the model-free model indicated that the activation energy (Ea) of lint pyrolysis was estimated in the range 167−204 kJ/mol. Also, it was observed that CH2, CH3, Carbon dioxide, acid, phenol, carbonyl, methane compounds are present in the resulted FTIR spectra, especially at a heating rate (25 °C/min). While GC–MS results at 25 °C/min showed that Isobutane (10.77 %), Furan, 3-methyl- (4.78 %), Furfural (6.48 %), carbon dioxide (11.68 %), etc. compounds were strongly present in the synthesized volatile products, which means that lint could be a new sustainable biomass source for renewable energy.

A field study was conducted in 2013 and 2014 where cotton was exposed to three N regimes: (1) the control without N application (low N); (2) 260 kg N ha−1 (medium N); (3) 520 kg N ha−1 (high N). Boll size, lint mass per boll, seed mass per boll, fiber length and strength were significantly decreased under N deprivation in the two years. The increased carbohydrate levels of LSCB (leaf subtending the cotton boll) led to decreased carbohydrate levels of fibers in the low N relative to the other N treatments. The low N embryos exhibited lower starch concentrations at 17 and 31 DPA (days post anthesis), and TNC (total nonstructural carbohydrate) concentrations at 17, 31, 45 and 52 DPA compared to medium N embryos. Starch levels in LSCB had negative associations with those in fibers at 17, 31 and 45 DPA, but positive associations with those in embryos at 24 and 45 DPA. Fibers expressed negative associations with embryos in glucose level at 24 and 38 DPA, and in TNC levels at 17 and 45 DPA. The study sug...

One field experiment was carried out on clay soil in 2016 season and repeated in 2017 season in El-Gemmeiza Agricultural Research Station, Agricultural Research Center, El-Gharbiya Governorate, Egypt, to study the effect of seven treatments including foliar application with two rates of mepiquat chloride (pix); 2 and 3cm3/L, two rates of Kaolin (2 and 3g/L), two rates of mepiquat chloride(pix) and Kaolin application in combination (2cm3+2g)/L, (3cm3+3g)/Lthree times (at squaring stage, at the start of flowering and at the top of flowering) and control treatment on leaf chemical composition, plant growth, earliness, fiber quality and yield of Egyptian cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.), Giza 86 cultivar. A randomized complete blocks design with 3 replicates was used in both seasons. The important results could be summarized as follow:- The tested treatments had a significant effect on leaves N, P, K, chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll and carotenoids contents in the two seasons of study, where foliar application with mepiquat chloride at 3cm3/L in combined with kaolin at 3g/L three times recorded the highest values of these traits in both seasons followed by foliar application with mepiquat chloride alone at 3cm3/L. While, the control treatment produced the lowest values of these traits.Foliar spraying with mepiquat chloride at 3cm3/L in combined with kaolin at 3g/L three times significantly reduced final plant height, followed by foliar application with mepiquat chloride at 3cm3/L three times, foliar application with mepiquat chloride at 2cm3/L in combined with kaolin at 2g/L three times, foliar application with mepiquat chloride at 2cm3/L, foliar application with kaolin at 3g/L three times and foliar application with kaolin at 2g/L three times, while control treatment recorded the tallest plants. Number of fruiting branches/plant did not affect by these treatments. Foliar spraying with mepiquat chloride at 3cm3/L in combined with kaolin at 3g/L three times significantly increased numbers of total flowers and total bolls set/plant, boll setting and earliness percentages followed by foliar application with mepiquat chloride at 3cm3/L. But, the lowest values were obtained from the control treatment.Foliar spraying with mepiquat chloride at 3cm3/L in combined with kaolin at 3g/L three times significantly increased boll weight, number of open bolls/plant, seed cotton yield/plant, seed index and seed cotton yield/fed in the two seasons of study followed by foliar application with mepiquat chloride at 3cm3/L. But, untreated plants produced the lowest values.On the other hand, the tested treatments had insignificant effect on fiber quality (fiber strength and micronaire reading) and lint percentage in both seasons.This study demonstrates that foliar spraying with mepiquat chloride (pix) at 3cm3/L in combined with kaolin at 3g/L three times (at squaring stage, at the start of flowering and at the top of flowering) could be recommended to improve the chemical composition of leaves, vegetative growth traits, earliness, yield/feddan, yield components and fiber quality of Giza 86 cotton cultivar under conditions of El-Gemmeiza location.