Effects of foliar sulfur applications in reducing water stress applied to the cotton plant (Gossypium hirsutum L.) during different development periods

• Main Authors: Derya Kazgöz Candemir, Berkant Ödemiş
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bati Akdeniz Agricultural Research Institute 2018-12-01
• Series: Derim
• Subjects: Cotton; Different development stages; Deficit irrigation; Foliar sulfur applications
• Online Access: http://www.derim.com.tr/download/article-file/595712

The research was carried out in the Amik Plain (Hatay province) in 2015 and 2016 to determine the effects of foliar sulfur applications to reduce the water stress of the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants. The cotton plants were studied in three developmental periods: (Vegetative growth, first flower and boll development, boll opening) and irrigation has been taken account during this period. In some development periods, the plants were fully irrigated (T) while others were not irrigated (O). During each developmental period, foliar elemental sulfur was applied to the cotton plants on the leaves at different doses (S0: 0 ml da-1, S1: 150 ml da-1, S2: 250 ml da-1, S3: 350 ml da-1). In the first year the average amount of irrigation water ranged from 91 to 1136 mm, in the second year it ranged from 149 to 1078 mm; yearly evapotranspiration ranged from the first year: 1012 to 304 mm values, second year: 1070 to 256 mm. The water usage efficiency ranged from 0.83 to 0.45 kg m-3, and from 0.76 to 0.43 kg m-3, respectively. Highest yield in the treatment of OOO was obtained from S3 dose in the first year and S2 from the second year. The mentioned treatment when compared to non-sulfur treatment (OOOS0); in the first year S3 dose S3 resulted in a 60% increase in yield, second year S2 dose resulted in a 27% increase in yield. In the first year the highest yield was obtained in the TTT treatment from the S2 dose and in the TOO and TOT treatment were obtained from the S1 dose. When the indicated doses were compared with S0 doses, it was founded that the yields were increased by %17, %24, %24 for the first year. In the second year the highest yield was received from the TTT, OTT, OTO, TOT, from doses of S3, S1, S3, S1. When compared to S0 the yields were increased by %17, %7, %35, %26, respectively.