Fiber Quality Response of Pima Cotton to Nitrogen and Phosphorus Deficiency

Abstract

Imposing a moderate level of nutrient deficiency may be an effective management strategy to limit vegetative growth and enhance maturity of Pima cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.). Whether such deficiency affects fiber quality of American Pima cotton, however, is not well known. A field study was conducted in 1991 and 1992 to determine the fiber quality responses of Pima cotton to nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization ranging between deficient and excess. Pima cotton cv. ''S-7'' was treated with nitrogen rates ranging between 0 and 269 kg ha À1 in a factorial combination with phosphorus rates ranging between 0 and 44 kg ha À1 . Fiber property measurements included fiber length, strength, fineness, elongation, and color properties. Increasing rate of applied nitrogen significantly (P 0.05) increased fiber length, elongation, micronaire, and color characteristics and reduced fiber uniformity ratio in 1991. Increasing 223This article is a U.S. government work, and is not subject to copyright in the United States.nitrogen rate significantly (P 0.10) increased fiber length, uniformity index, and yellowness in 1992, when the degree of nitrogen deficiency imposed by the lowest nitrogen rate was not as severe as the deficiency imposed by the same treatment in 1991. Phosphorus did not significantly (P 0.10) affect any of the important fiber properties-length, strength, or micronaire-in either cropping season. These results indicate moderate level of nitrogen or phosphorus deficiency does not affect Pima cotton fiber quality. Nitrogen or phosphorus deficiency severe enough to reduce fiber quality and affect marketing of Pima cotton is unlikely to be encountered under normal Pima cotton production practices.

Effects of Fertilization on Ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.) Growth, Yield and Fiber Quality

“…Fiber fresh and dry weights were also increased by fertilizer application, particularly NPK, which is consistent with the results reported by Liu et al [18]. Apart from NPK, the effect of K on fiber fresh and dry weights was more evident than that of P. Tewolde and Fernandez [19] reported that P application does not improve fiber properties in cotton, and concluded that a moderate deficiency of P does not affect fiber quality. Thus, on the basis of our results and those reported by Liu et al [18], we recommend that the current application doses of P fertilizers could be reduced without having any significant effect on fiber yield and quality.…”

“…It is known that fiber-breaking strength is directly related to fiber wall thickness and that this is an important parameter for physically accessing fiber quality [19,20]. In the present study, fiber breaking strength was significantly increased by fertilizer application compared with the control treatment.…”

Effect of nitrogen and sulfur on the quality of the cotton fiber under mediterranean conditions

“…In year 2012, application of 60 to 120 kg N ha -1 increased fiber lengths by 2.7 to 3.4% compared to the control (without N) while the applications of nitrogen fertilizer at 180 and 240 kg ha -1 did not provide an additional increase in fiber lengths. In this manner, findings of Tewolde & Fernandez (2003) are contradictory to the findings of this study; these researchers reported that nitrogen had a significant quadratic effect on fiber length, while the results of the present study are similar to the findings of Gormus et al (2016). The significant N X S interaction revealed that mean maximum fiber length (31.2 mm) was recorded in treatment containing 180 kg N ha -1 and 0 kg S ha -1 treatment that was followed by (45 kg S ha -1 + 120 kg N ha -1 ) with fiber length (31.0 mm) (Table 4).…”

“…In general, N application had negative effects on micronaire. Tewolde & Fernandez (2003) reported that the increase in nitrogen rate have small but highly significant linear improvement in micronaire quality. Bauer &Roof (2004) found that micronaire was affected by N fertilizer rate where cotton with control treatments produced lower micronaire than the cotton grown at 78.4-112.0 kg N ha -1 .…”

“…Rochester et al (2001) indicated that fiber length and fiber strength generally increased with an increase in N application rate, whereas a decline in micronaire was detected with increasing rates of applied N. Similarly, Bauer & Roof (2004) observed lower fiber length and strength when no nitrogen was applied. Further, Tewolde & Fernandez (2003) indicated that fiber length and micronaire was significantly affected with increasing rate of applied nitrogen. Girma et al (2007) reported significantly reduced fiber length, strength and micronaire with application of N rates greater than 90 kg ha -1 .…”