Role of macronutrients in cotton production

Sound nutrition plays a key role in enhancing cotton yield. As cotton undergoes vegetative and reproductive growth at the same time, its nutritional requirements are dissimilar, compared to other field crops. Cotton is grown as an annual crop with an indeterminate growth pattern. The vegetative branching provides a potential fruiting place except under abiotic and biotic stresses. Moreover, cotton has a deep root system with low density of roots in the surface layer of soils where availability of nutrients is high. The rooting system makes cotton crop more dependent on the subsoil for nutrition. A continuous supply of nutrients is required to sustain morphogenesis. The rate of both nutrients absorption and dry matter production increases progressively during the seedling, vegetative, and fruiting periods and peaks near the end of the bloom period. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are required in large quantities and are limited in many soils. The deficiencies of macro-and micronutrients decrease plant growth and development, and consequently seed cotton yield is reduced. The deficiency of phosphorous (P), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), boron (B), magnesium (Mg), and zinc (Zn) affects fruit production in cotton than vegetative growth, while the deficiencies of nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), molybdenum (Mo), and manganese (Mn) affect equally vegetative and reproductive growth of cotton. A bevy of literature concerning the role of macronutrients in growth and development is presented in the following paragraphs. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020. All rights reserved

Mitigation effects of mycorrhiza on boron toxicity in wheat (Triticum durum) plants

A greenhouse study was conducted to investigate the effect of mycorrhiza on wheat (Triticum durum) boron (B) uptake under excessive B concentrations. Three levels of B (0, 3, and 6 mg B litre(-1)) were added to pots with or without mycorrhiza. Plant nutrients were added as Hoagland nutrient solution. In general, additions of B with or without mycorrhiza decreased wheat relative yield and increased shoot and root B concentrations. B concentrations in shoots ranged from 30.8 to 589 mg kg(-1). The highest shoot B concentrations were with the highest B treatments (6 mg B litre(-1)). whereas the lowest concentrations were in the control (0 mg B litre(-1)). Mycorrhiza inoculation significantly improved relative yield of unstressed (control) plants, but those increases in relative yield of B-stressed plants were not significant. In general, mycorrhiza inoculation decreased shoot and root B concentrations and uptake. Wheat growing at high B concentrations (6 and 3 mg B litre(-1)) with or without mycorrhiza showed leaf edge burning and necrosis compared with control treatments. The data suggested that mycorrhiza infection can prevent plants from an excessive concentration and uptake of B although that did not improve plant yield. Further evaluation is needed for the effects of mychorriza inoculation on B toxicity