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ALLEVIATION OF THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF SALT STRESS BY FOLIAR APPLICATION OF SODIUM ANTAGONISTIC ESSENTIAL MINERALS ON COTTON (GOSSYPIUM HIRSUTUM)

R. JABEEN¹ AND R. AHMAD²

Abstract: Experiments were carried out in drum pot culture to investigate the response of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) cv. “CIM 496” grown at high salinity supplemented with foliar application of KCl (500 ppm= 500 mg/L) and NH₄NO₃ (500 ppm= 500 mg/L) alone and in mixture. Soil salinity was maintained through irrigation water of sea salt concentrations i.e., 0.4% (EC: 6.2 dS/m) and 0.8% (EC: 10.8 dS/m). Plants were tested during a period from germination to vegetative growth as well as reproductive stages. To determine effects on vegetative growth plants were harvested at grand period of growth. Reproductive parameters were mentioned in terms number of squares, flower and balls, seed and lint weight; seed number and seed cotton yield per plant. Values on above-mentioned parameters were reduced significantly at high salinity. Foliar spray of NH₄NO₃ and KCl in combination showed better result as compare to that of their individual spray. Pattern of the comparative performances at various vegetative and reproductive growth parameters under nonsaline as well as saline conditions remained same, which is produced as follows: Non-spray< water spray< KCl< NH₄NO₃< NH₄NO₃+ KCl. Foliar nutrient spray of above mentioned spray material showed beneficial effect both on vegetative and reproductive parameters in Cotton,

¹Department of Botany, Government College for Women, Shahrah -e-Liaquat, Karachi.

²Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi Pakistan.