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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Plant Stress and Germplasm Development Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #104873
Title: SEED APPLIED PLANT GROWTH REGULATOR EFFECTS ON COTTON GERMINATION, EMERGENCE, AND GROWTH

Author
item BECKER, W - TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
item HOPPER, N - TX AG EXP STATION (TAES)
item McMichael, Bobbie
item JIVIDEN, G - COTTON INCORPORATED

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Plant Growth Regulators (PGR's) have been reported to enhance cotton seedling stand establishment and early season growth when they were applied in the furrow or as a foliar spray. This study evaluated the influence of the application of nine different commercially available PGR materials to cotton seed on germination, emergence and early growth of cotton grown under laboratory, greenhouse and field conditions for two years. The results showed that there was an increase in Cool Warm Vigor Index for only one year in the laboratory studies. There were no significant differences in stand establishment and growth in both the greenhouse and field studies for both years and thus the application of these PGR's to cotton seed would provide no beneficial germination, emergence and early season growth responses.

Technical Abstract: A potential use for Plant Growth Regulators (PGR's) is the application of these chemicals to enhance germination emergence, and early season growth of cotton. Applied to the seed, in-furrow, or as a foliar treatment, these chemicals are purported to provide beneficial plant responses during stand establishment and early season growth which are important in establishing yield potential. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of seed applied PGRs on cotton germination, emergence, and early season growth. Nine commercially available materials (Arise, Cytoplex, Early Harvest, Maxon, PGR-IV, Pix, Ryzup, Stimulate, and Triggrr were applied to seed at 0.5x, 1.0x, and 2.0x the recommended rates. Laboratory results showed no significant differences in Cool Warm Vigor Index (CWVI) values when compared to the control in 1996. In 1997 16 of the treatments increased CWVI values when compared to the control. In the field study, no significant increases in stand establishment were noted due to the PGR treatments when compared to the control in either 1996 or 1997. In the greenhouse study (1996 and 1997), no significant differences in total root length were observed when compared to the control. Results from the controlled temperature chamber showed no significant differences in emergence among the treatments in 1996 or 1997.