Cottonseed yield and its quality as affected by mineral fertilizers and plant growth retardants

Abstract

The increase in the population in Egypt makes it imperative to explore promising approaches to increase food supply, including protein and oil, to meet the needs of the Egyptian people. Cotton is the principal crop of Egyptian agriculture, it is grown mainly for its fiber, but cottonseed products are also of economic importance. Cottonseed is presently the main source of edible oil and meal for livestock in Egypt. Economic conditions in modern agriculture demand high crop yields in order to be profitable and consequently meet the high demand for food that comes with population growth. Oil crop production can be improved by development of new high yielding varieties, and the application of appropriate agronomic practices. There is limited information about the most suitable management practice for application of N, P, K, Zn, Ca and PGRs in order to optimize the quantity and quality of oil and protein of cottonseed. In maximizing the quantity and quality of a crop’s nutritional value in terms of fatty acids and protein, field experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, foliar application of zinc and calcium, the use of plant growth retardants (Pix, Cycocel or Alar), on cottonseed, protein, oil yields, and oil properties of Egyptian cotton. From the findings of this study, it seems rational to recommend that application of N, P, K, foliar application of Zn and Ca, the use of PGRs (Pix, Cycocel or Alar), could bring about better impact on cottonseed yield, seed protein content, oil and protein yields, oil refractive index, unsaponifiable matter, and unsaturated fatty acids in com parison with the ordinary cultural practices adopted by Egyptian cotton producers.