INFLUENCE OF VARIOUS NITROGEN-SOURCES ON IONIC BALANCE, NONVOLATILE ORGANIC-ACIDS, NITROGEN UPTAKE AND DRY-MATTER PRODUCTION OF COTTON GROWN UNDER SUDAN GEZIRA CONDITIONS

The effect of different nitrogen forms on cations, anions, ionic balance (C-A), non-volatile organic acids, nitrogen uptake and dry matter production of cotton plant, Gossypium barbadense, variety <<Barakat>> had been studied. The concentrations of cations in shoot of plants treated with (NH4)2SO4 or urea were almost equal, but NH4NO3 treated plants showed somewhat higher values with respect to Ca++, and all nitrogen treated plants showed significantly higher values than control plants. The (C-A) values of nitrogen treated plants were all significantly higher than that of control plants, with NH4NO3 showing superiority in this respect. The shoots of plants treated with NH4NO3 were superior in nitrogen uptake, dry matter production and non-volatile organic acids when compared to (NH4)2SO4 or urea treated plants. Malate and citrate were the dominant organic acids for most of the plant parts of the different treatments, with citrate prominent in the NH4NO3 treatment and malate prominent in the other treatments.