IMPACT OF BORON AND NITROGEN UNDER DIFFERENT SALINITY LEVELS ON THE POTENTIAL OF COTTON VARIETIES

Abstract

Abstract: Cotton is one of the most important fibrous crops and its productions is decreasing day by day due to salinity stress. Soil salinity may limit the crop yield adversely influencing the leaf water potential and some other physiological responses in arid and semi-arid zone. An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the impact of Boron (B) and Nitrogen (N) under salinity on the potential of two cotton varieties (Gossypium hirsutum L.). The experiment was laid out following CRD 2 –factorial using seven treatments (Control, EC @ 10 d Sm^-1, B @ 6mM0, B@6 mM + EC @ 10d Sm^-1, N @50 ppm, N @ 50 ppm + EC @ 10d Sm^-1, B @6 m + N @50 ppm + EC @ 10 dSm^-1 ) each with three replications. Two varieties of cotton (FH-Lalazar and FH-114) were sown. Obtained data of all parameters was statistically analyzed by using statistix 8.1. Significant treatment means were separated by least significant difference (LSD) test. The results showed that B fertilization @ 6mM and N  @ 50ppm improved significantly shoot fresh weight, chlorophyll content, plant height and relative water contents with and without salinity, while significant decrease in K⁺ was observed where NaCl salt was applied. The B application helped in increasing K⁺ concentration in shoot where B was applied @ 6Mm