Influence of Seed Hardening and Foliar Nutrition on Drought Tolerance in Bt-Cotton

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Date
2012
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UAS, Dharwad
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2010-2011 to study the effect of seed hardening and foliar spray with agro-chemicals on Bt-cotton under rainfed condition at Agricultural Research Station, Dharwad. The experiment consisted of fourteen treatments viz., five seed hardening treatments (CaCl2, CCC, KNO3, ZnSO4 and water soaking) and four foliar spray (CaCl2, CCC, KNO3 and ZnSO4) and other four were the combination of seed treatment and foliar spray of the above mentioned agro-chemicals. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. The plant height increased significantly from 60 DAS due to seed hardening with CaCl2 at 2% and their was a decreased number of days for 50 per cent squaring, 50 per cent flowering and 50 per cent boll opening as compared to control. Seed hardening with CaCl2 at 2% and foliar spray at 0.5% recorded significantly more total dry matter and Leaf area index. The pre-sowing seed hardening and foliar spray techniques significantly increased AGR, CGR, RGR, NAR and SLW at all the intervals as compared to other treatments. The seed treatment with CaCl2 at 2% and foliar spray at 0.5% recorded significantly higher photosynthesis rate, total chlorophyll content and relative water content as compared to other treatments. There was significant decrease in proline content and transpiration rate due to various treatments. The seed cotton yield and yield components viz., yield (2276 kg/ha), boll weight (5.12 g/boll) and number of bolls per plant (28.00) showed significantly higher values due to seed hardening with CaCl2 at 2% and foliar spray at 0.5% as compared to control. It is concluded that, seed hardening with CaCl2 at 2% and foliar spray at 0.5% followed by seed hardening and foliar spray with ZnSO4 at 0.5% is more effective and economical in increasing the yield in Bt-cotton.
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