THE EFFECT OF PHOSPHORUS AND ZINC ON YIELD AND ON SOME AGRONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF COTTON (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

This study was conducted to determine the effect of Phosphorus (P) i.e. (P-0= Control, P-40= 40, P-80= 80, and P-120= 120 kg ha(-1)) and Zinc (Zn) i.e. (Zn-0= Control, Zn-05= 5, Zn-10= 10, and Zn-15= 15 kg ha(-1)) on yield and on some agronomic characteristics of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Adiyaman, Turkey. The field experiments were arranged in a randomized complete block with a split plot design with three replications in years of 2011 and 2012. P and Zn treatments were applied in main and sub-plots, respectively. Cotton cultivar of Stoneville-453 was used in the experiment. Based on the results, phosphorus and zinc applications increased the seed cotton yield. The highest plant height was obtained from the interaction of P-80 x Zn-5 and the highest number of bolls was taken from the interaction of P-80 x Zn-10. In terms of the number of monopodial branches, statistically significant differences were found in both years, but this significance was not stable over the years. It was concluded that the combined treatments of phosphorus and zinc did not have a significant effect on the boll weight, boll seed cotton weight and ginning outturn. The effect of fertilizers on the number of sympodial branches and 100 seed weight were significant in the first year but not significant in the second year.