IMPACT OF POTASSIUM APPLICATION ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD ENHANCEMENT OF COTTON

Abstract

The field study to evaluate the growth and yield of cotton variety Sindh-1 under the influence of potassium application rates was undertaken at Crop Sciences Research Institute, Agriculture Research Centre, Tandojam during Kharif, 2022. The experiment was laid out in a three replicated randomized complete block design. The experiment consisted of six treatments i.e. Control (without potassium), Potassium @ 25.0 kg ha -1 (50% < recommended), Potassium @ 37.5 kg ha -1 (25% < recommended), Potassium @ 50.0 kg ha -1 (recommended), Potassium @ 62.5 kg ha -1 (25% > recommended) and Potassium @ 75.0 kg ha -1 (50% > recommended). The analysis of variance of data suggested that application of potassium at different rates exhibited statistically significant (P<0.05) effect on the growth, yield and yield contributing attributes of cotton variety Sindh-1 as compared to Control (without potassium). The results of experiment illustrated that highest traits i.e. plant height (cm), sympodial branches plant -1 , opened bolls plant -1 , single boll weight (g), seedcotton weight plant -1 (g), and seedcotton yield (kg ha -1) were observed when potassium was applied at 75.0 kg ha -1 (50% > recommended). Potassium @ 62.5 kg ha -1 (25% > recommended) followed almost in all growth and yield traits particularly, seedcotton yield (kg ha -1). Similarly, Potassium @ 50.0 kg ha -1 (recommended) ranked 3 rd in all growth and yield traits particularly seedcotton yield (kg ha -1). Furthermore, Potassium @ 37.5 kg ha -1 (25% < recommended) and Potassium @ 25.0 kg ha -1 (50% < recommended) ranked 4 th and 5 th in all growth and yield traits especially seedcotton yield (kg ha -1). However, minimum attributes of cotton variety Sindh-1 such as plant height (cm), sympodial branches plant -1 , opened bolls plant -1 , single boll weight (g), seedcotton weight plant -1 (g), and seedcotton yield (kg ha -1) were documented in control plots where potassium was not applied. It is worth mentioning that Potassium @ 62.5 kg ha -1 (25% > recommended) was found optimum level due to having non-significant statistical differences in all growth and yield traits particularly, seedcotton yield (kg ha -1) with highest dose of Potassium @ 75.0 kg ha -1 (50% > recommended). Hence, it is conferred from the afore mentioned results thapotassium should be applied @ 62.5 kg ha -1 for obtaining optimum seedcotton yield of cotton variety Sindh-1 under agro-ecological conditions of Tandojam.