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International Conference on

Recent Trends in Environmental Sustainability

ESCON22/SAgri/47

Efficacy of foliar application of micronutrients on yield of BT and Non-BT cotton
1
1
1*
Kashif Nazir Qureshi , Shakeel Imran , Muhammad Yahya Khan , Muhammad
1 2
Adnan , Taqi Raza
1 UAF Sub-Campus Burewala, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
2 Land Resources Research Institute, NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan

Correspondence: kashif.qureshi@uaf.edu.pk
Abstract

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is one of the major crops which plays vital role in economy
as well as agro-based industry of Pakistan. Major soils of Pakistan are calcareous alluvium in
nature and are low in many essential plant nutrients. The prevalence of free carbonates, low
organic matter and high pH of soils also depict a risk of micronutrient deficiencies in crops.
Deficiency of micronutrients, especially boron, zinc and copper causes substantial yield losses
in cotton. This study has been designed to determine the influence of foliar application of
boron, zinc and copper to estimate yield of both BT and Non-BT cotton. Six treatments
comprising of T1= Control, T2= Zinc sulfate, T3= Copper sulfate, T4= Boric acid, T5=
Zn+B+Cu and T6= Distilled water were applied as foliar spray after forty days of sowing and
at flowering and peak flowering. Boron application significantly improved the number of bolls
and seed cotton yield, while zinc application also significantly improved the number of bolls
and number of flowers. Amongst the two varieties, BT cotton performed better than Non-BT
variety. In conclusion, foliar application of B and Zn at 2% and 1% respectively were the most
effective in improving the yield and yield contributing parameters of different cotton varieties,
mostly the BT cotton yield.
Key words: Cotton; Micronutrient deficiency; Foliar application; Boron; Zinc

Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus

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