Physiological Adjustments, Yield Increase and Fiber Quality of 'Brs Rubi' Naturally Colored Cotton Under Silicon Doses

Abstract

Globally, the demand for food and consumer products has accompanied population growth, forcing the agriculture and livestock sector to optimize the production systems. In the specific case of agriculture, using improved edible and energetic plant cultivars associated with abiotic stress-reducing substances is a strategy adopted to solve this problem. This investigation aimed to evaluate whether silicon (Si) promotes physiological adjustments, an increase in production, higher yield, and improved quality of naturally colored cotton fibers. Five doses of silicon (0 (control), 5, 10, 15, and 20 kg ha−1) were tested in a completely randomized design. The variables assessed were physiological adjustments, production, yield and quality of fibers produced by BRS Rubi cultivar. Data were submitted to principal component analysis, multivariate and univariate analyses of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis. Silicon promotes physiological adjustments, enhanced production, yield, and quality of naturally colored cotton fibers of BRS Rubi cultivar grown in the Brazilian semiarid region. Fiber quality in plants that have been treated with Si is within the expected values for this cultivar and by the international standard D-4605 of the American Society for Testing and Materials. 10 kg ha−1 of Si is recommended to increase fiber quality of naturally colored cotton cv. BRS Rubi.

Seed Priming with Glass Waste Microparticles and Red Light Irradiation Mitigates Thermal and Water Stresses in Seedlings of Moringa oleifera

“…Seed priming was performed at the Laboratory of Plant Physiology of the Agricultural Engineering Academic Unit (UAEA) of the Center of Technology and Natural Resources (CTRN) of the Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), located in the municipality of Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil. The location has a semi-arid climate, a mean temperature of 25 °C, and a relative air humidity ranging from 72 to 91% [ 34 ].…”