Spraying with some natural substances and/or soil nitrogen fertilization counteracted the negative effects of delaying seed sowing of cotton and increased the productivity

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out during 2018 and 2019 seasons at El-Gemmeiza Agricultural Research Station, El-Gharbia Governorate, Egypt to study the effect of spraying marine plants and yeast extracts three times (at the squaring stage, flowering initiation and 15 days later) either alone or in combination with soil nitrogen fertilization on productivity of cotton plant under late sowing. A strip plot design with three replicates was used. Nitrogen recommended dose, foliar application with the combination between the two natural substances at the high level as well as their interactions significantly increased plant pigments, leaves chemical composition as combined analysis between the two seasons (except proline content which decreased and P, Ca and Mo content which did not affect by the interaction) and growth parameters, earliness attributes (except boll shedding% which decreased),
seed cotton yield and its components in both seasons, with some exceptions; plant height and lint% increased by the interaction and number of total flowers plant-1 increased by N recommended dose in one season. Nitrogen recommended dose (RD) significantly decreased micronaire reading and increased fiber strength in both seasons and uniformity ratio and fiber length in one season. Foliar
application with the combination between the two natural substances at the high level significantly increased fiber length in both seasons and uniformity ratio in one season. The interaction between N recommended dose (RD) and foliar application with the combination between the two natural substances at the high level significantly increased fiber length and strength in one season. Micronaire reading did not follow a definite trend. It could be concluded this interaction to counteract the negative effects of delaying sowing of cotton and to increase its boll retention and productivity under conditions like El-Gemmeiza location.