Potassium Effects on Canopy Light Interception and Earliness of No‐Tillage Cotton

Abstract

Earliness of maturity is essential for adaptation of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) to regions with short growing seasons, and it may be influenced by potassium nutrition. Our objectives were to determine effects of K fertilization on interception of photosynthetically active radiation and earliness, and to describe the relationship between earliness and light interception at different in‐canopy heights. Research was conducted with no tillage on a Memphis silt loam (fine‐silty, mixed, active, thermic Typic Hapludalf) with low extractable K. Using a split‐plot randomized complete block design, 0 and 112 kg K ha−1 were soil‐applied before planting each year as mainplot treatments, and 0 and 4.1 kg K ha−1 were foliar applied four times per season as subplot treatments. Canopy interception of photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) was measured at 23‐cm vertical increments in 1993 and 1994. Plots were spindle‐picked twice each year. Earliness was measured as the percent of total yield picked at first harvest. Relative to no fertilizer K, soil‐applied K increased canopy PPFD interception at all heights measured. Neither soil‐applied nor foliar K affected earliness in 1993, a drought year, but soil‐applied K decreased percent first harvest from 78 to 65% in 1994. Foliar K did not affect canopy light interception in 1993, and it increased interception in 1994 only with no soil‐applied K. At 111 d after planting, percent first harvest was negatively correlated with PPFD interception at all measured heights in the canopy, suggesting that higher K fertility delayed maturity as it increased upper‐canopy light interception. In short‐season environments, optimum K fertilization needs to be accompanied by cultivar selection and management that promote earliness of maturity.

Potassium influences on yield and quality production for maize, wheat, soybean and cotton

“…This reduction in biomass because of a K + deficiency is often accompanied by a reduction in leaf area (Jordan‐Meille and Pellerin 2004, Kimbrough et al 1971, Pettigrew and Meredith 1997). In cotton, this leaf area reduction was also linked to a reduction in canopy sunlight interception (Gwathmey and Howard 1998, Pettigrew 2003) (Fig. 3).…”

“…During the late 1980s and the 1990s, late season potassium deficiency symptoms occurred in multiple cotton growing regions, prompting a great deal of cotton K fertility work. Many researchers have reported that cotton yields can be improved with K fertilization when soil K levels are insufficient (Bennett et al 1965, Cassman et al 1989, 1990, Clement‐Bailey and Gwathmey 2007, Gwathmey and Howard 1998, Mullins et al 1994, Pettigrew 1999, 2003, Pettigrew et al 1996) (Table 2). The yield components responsible for the reported yield increases have been inconsistent across studies.…”

Potassium and stress alleviation: Physiological functions and management of cotton

“…From an agronomic standpoint, K deficiencies and excesses are financially and environmentally inefficient and have negative yield-impacting consequences. General characteristics of excessive K in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, L.) include increased boll rot (Bennett et al, 1965), increased plant height (Bennett et al, 1965;Pettigrew and Meredith, 1997), and delayed maturity (Bennett et al, 1965;Gwathmey and Howard, 1998;Clement-Bailey and Gwathmey, 2007;Gwathmey et al, 2009). Deficiencies of K enhance water-deficit stress (Coker et al, 2000), reduce lint percentage (Pettigrew et al, 1996), dry-matter production (Gerardeaux et al, 2010;Rosolem et al, 2003;Zhao et al, 2001), plant height (Zhao et al, 2001), leaf area (Zhao et al, 2001;Gerardeaux et al, 2010), internode length (Gerardeaux et al, 2010), seed mass (Pettigrew et al, 1996), boll mass (Pettigrew et al, 1996), N-use efficiency (Pettigrew and Meredith, 1997), and lint yield (Stromberg, 1960;Pettigrew et al, 1996;Gormus, 2002;Read et al, 2006).…”

Isolation, Characterization and Antibacterial Susceptibility test of Acinetobacter Species Obtained from Tertiary Care Hospital

“…When soil K levels are insufficient, the cotton crop moves more quickly (earlier) from the vegetative to the reproductive phase (Gwathmey and Howard, 1998;Pettigrew, 1999) resulting in a decline in yield (Pettigrew, 2008). In the present study, seedcotton yield were significantly enhanced by K application both soil and foliar applied, compared to control.…”