Premium
Prevention of Chilling Injury to Seedling Cotton with Anti‐Transpirants 1
Author(s) -
Christiansen M. N.,
Ashworth E. N.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1978.0011183x001800050062x
Subject(s) - seedling , biology , gossypium hirsutum , horticulture , water stress , agronomy , gossypium , fiber crop
Emerged cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) seedlings are severely damaged or killed by temperatures below 10 C. Prolonged chilling induces severe foliar water deficit as a consequence of root water uptake inhibition which causes cotyledonary necrosis, growth retardation or death of seedlings. We tested, under controlled environment, the efficacy of antitranspirant treatments in maintenance of seedling water status, and preventation of chilling injury by high humidity or by antitranspirant treatments. The antitranspirant treatments reduced seedling water loss to approximately 40%. Maintenance of seedling watex status by ambient high humidity or antitranspirant sprays reduced seedling death and cold stress inhibition of subsequent growth. Field experimentation with antitranspirants is suggested to provide means of reducing farm loss of cotton stands.