Exploring the Role of Anti-Oxidant on Growth and Yield of Cotton to Mitigate the Heat Stress

Abstract

Agriculture experiencing a continuous pressure of food in order to meet the necessities of rising population. The cottonseed used as oilseed as well as a major source of edible oil in Pakistan. Cotton production affected by biotic and abiotic factors. Experiment was done at Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan in 2019 to study the effect of foliar application of gibberellic acid (GA), ascorbic acid (AA), citric acid (CA) and a control group in which no antioxidant was used against heat stress. Design used for experiment was randomized complete block design (RCBD). In trial cultivar of cotton CIM-610 was used. Experiment was replicated four times. Plot size was 9m (length) x 6m (width) with net plot size of 54 m2 . Statistically significant results among the morphological plus physiological attributes were observed. Almost yield parameters as plant height, nodes per plant buds per plant and bolls per plant have maximum values every month from May to October, sympodial branches (39), boll weight (2.97g), seed cotton yield (3097 kg), ginning out turn (39.133), fiber length (27.33 mm), fiber strength (28.8g tex), 100 seed weight (8.363g), fiber brightness (68.97Rd), micronaire (5.5) and uniformity index (83.48%) were leading in exogenous application of GA then AA, thirdly application of CA. In GA treatment maximum of plant height,bolls per plant, boll weight, monopodial branches and seed cotton yield were seemed. Seed cotton and lint quality yield reduced greatly due to heat stress. Antioxidants application of exogenous can sustain cotton yield and quality against heat stress conditions. Antioxidants of plants gave best results than where no treatment was applied