EFFECT OF POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION ON COTTON PRODUCTION UNDER EGYPTIAN SOIL CONDITIONS

Kafaga, E.E.E.; Saleh, Sh. Z.; Abd El-Shafy, Yosreia S.; Antoun, L.W.

doi:10.21608/jssae.2008.166825

EFFECT OF POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION ON COTTON PRODUCTION UNDER EGYPTIAN SOIL CONDITIONS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Soil, Water and Environ. Res. Inst., Agric. Res. Center.

² Field crops Res. Ins., Agric. Res. Center.

10.21608/jssae.2008.166825

Abstract

Four field experiments were carried out at El-Serw Agricultural Research Station of Damietta Governorate and Kafer El-Hamam Agricultural Research Station. Sharkia Governorate during 2004 and 2005 seasons to study the effect of two levels of potassium fertilizer (12.5 and 25kg K₂O fed.^-1) added as a soil application companied with one or two foliar spray of 2% soluble potassium sulphate (50% K₂O) (solupotasse) on cotton yield, yield component and quality of seeds.
The results revealed that potassium treatments increased number of open bolls / plant, boll weight /gm, seed cotton yield (ton fed.^-1), lint percentage and a slight increase in oil percentage, but it had insignificant effect on seed index and protein percentage comparing to control treatment.
The addition of 12.5 kg k₂O fed.^-1 after thinning as soil application + two foliar sprays, with 2% soluble potassium sulphate (solopotasse) at budding stage (45 days after sowing) and before flowering is considered to be a recommended amounts for cotton (3.29 ton fed.^-1) at El-Serw area, while addition of 25kg k₂O fed.^-1as a soil application + two sprays of 2% soluble potassium sulphate solopotasse at the above mentioned time was the recommended amounts in Kafer El-Hamam site. which yielded (3.34 ton fed.^-1).