Response of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) to mepiquat chloride and topping under varying levels of nitrogen

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharit) seasons of 1999 and 2000 at New Delhi to examine the response of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) to nitrogen, mepiquat chloride and topping. Application of N significantly increased plant height, bollslplant, boll weight, seed cotton yieldlplant and seed cotton and lint yieldlha. Mean increase in seed cotton yield with the appli cation of N at 45 and 90 kglha was 19 and 31 % over the control respectively. Higher levels of N application delayed the maturity of cotton. Application of mepiquat chloride significantly reduced the plant height by 26%, but increased the yield and yield attributes. Topping had no significa t influence on yield and yield attributes.