EFFECT OF IRON AND MANGANESE ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF COTTON

Abstract

In order to know the effect of different concentrations of Fe, Mn and their interaction on growth and yield of cotton Lashata cultivar, a field experimental was conducted 2011, 2012 at the Field Crops Science Dept. College of Agriculture–University of Baghdad, Randomized complete block design with four replication was used to compare the treatments: control(without spraying), Fe spraying 100, 150 Mg.L-1, Mn50,100 Mg.L-1., the combination of Fe100+Mn50, Fe100+Mn100, Fe150+Mn50, Fe150+Mn100. The result showed high response of spraying treatments on control in all characteristics of study except boll weight, length and micronere readings when spraying Fe, Mn separately or together for both seasons. The combination of treatments spraying Fe150+Mn100 gave high significant values in the content of chlorophyll in leaves 44.95 and 45.93 spad, plant high 122.22 and 126.87 cm, number of sympodia.plant-1 13.20 and 14.64 branch, leaf area 2092.00, 2215.11 cm2, number of open boll 12.81, 14.72, seed cotton yield 2464.30, 2802.50 Kg.ha-1, lint cotton yield 914.74, 1064.15 Kg.ha-1, the ginning percentage %37.12, %38.00 and the lint strength 20.32, 21.38 gm.tex-1 in comparison of control for both seasons, while no response showed especially in boll weight, length and fineness lint with spraying in Fe and Mn separately or together for both seasons. We conclude from these results that the foliar application with Fe and Mn separately or together on shoot system it is important when these elements are not available in Iraqi soil and there is a response in cotton plant to concentration that used in this research. So we recommend adding Fe, Mn foliar spraying on shoot system with combination Fe150+Mn100 for high yield and best lint quality.