Potassium Silicate Optimizes the Growth of Naturally Colored Fiber Cotton in the Semi-arid
Rener Luciano de Souza Ferraz *
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, CEP: 58429-140, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil.
Aldair de Souza Medeiros
Department of Plant Production, Federal University of Alagoas, CEP: 57072-900, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil.
Pedro Roberto Almeida Viégas
Department of Agronomic Engineering, Federal University of Sergipe, CEP: 49100-000, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil.
Alberto Soares de Melo
Coordination of the Post-Graduate Program in Agricultural Sciences, State University of Paraíba, CEP: 58429-570, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil.
Patrícia da Silva Costa
Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Campina Grande, CEP: 58708-110, Patos, Paraíba, Brazil.
Ivomberg Dourado Magalhães
Department of Plant Production, Federal University of Alagoas, CEP: 57072-900, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil.
Marcelo de Andrade Barbosa
Department of Soils and Fertilizers, Paulista State University, CEP: 14884-900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
José Dantas Neto
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, CEP: 58429-140, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Potassium silicate optimizes the growth of naturally colored fiber cotton in the semi-arid of Paraíba state, Brazil. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the growth of naturally colored fiber cotton cultivars under silicon foliar application. The experiment was carried out in the experimental area of Embrapa / Algodão, in the Northeast region of Brazil, using a completely randomized design, with 3 ˣ 5 factorial scheme, which was composed by three cotton cultivars ('BRS Topázio', 'BRS Safira', and 'BRS Rubi'), five silicon concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg L-1), sprayed weekly on leaves, and four replicates. Growth data were submitted to analysis of variance, regression, correlation, and mean test. Treatments had a significant effect on growth variables. When calculating the effects of the factors, it was verified that the cultivars differed among them for the evaluated parameters. For 'BRS Topázio', silicon reduced plant height and increased the stem expansion rate. The application of silicon increased 'BRS Safira' plant height and growth rate. For 'BRS Rubi', silicon increased plant height and stem expansion rate.
Keywords: Gossypium hirsutum L, silicon, micronutrients, biometrics