African Journal of Environmental Economics and Management

African Journal of Environmental Economics and Management ISSN 2375-0707 Vol. 2 (3), pp. 188-194, March, 2014. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of nitrogen and boron impacts on yield and significance of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

*Rikhtegar S. Hossein, Mohammad Eskandari  and Hossein Rezaei

Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Qeshm Institute of Higher Education, Qeshm, Hormozgan Province, Iran.

*Corresponding author email: [email protected].

Accepted 09 January, 2014

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine nitrogen (N) and boron (B) effects on yield and quality of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). N was applied to the soil at rates of 0, 100, 200 and 300 kg ha^-1 and B was applied as foliar at rates 0, 500 and 1000 g ha^-1. Statistical results of study showed that N application significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased boll number, boll weight, seed cotton weight of boll, seed cotton yield and lint yield. Moreover, leaf blade N concentration was affected by N application rate and increased significantly. Results of study also showed that the highest seed cotton yield was obtained in case of 200 kg ha^-1 N application rate, and this application rate resulted in 19.6% increased seed cotton yield. Statistical results also indicated that foliar application of B significantly increased boll number, boll weight, seed cotton yield and lint yield. In addition, leaf blade B concentration was affected by B application rate and increased significantly. Results also demonstrated that the highest seed cotton yield was recorded in case of 1000 g ha^-1 foliar application of B, and this foliar application rate resulted in 25% increased seed cotton yield. Statistical results showed that effect of different application rates of N was not significant for all fiber properties (fiber length, fiber strength and fiber fineness). Conversely, results of study indicated that different application rates of B significantly affected some fiber properties. On the whole, application of 200 kg ha^-1 N and 1000 g ha^-1 B (two time foliar B application) resulted in the highest boll number, boll weight, seed cotton yield and lint yield, and enhanced fiber properties. The interaction of N × B was not significant for all studied traits.

Keywords: Nitrogen, boron, cotton, yield, quality, Iran.