The effect of foliar potassium application on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield, qualiyt and earliness parameters

This study was carried out to determine the effect of different potassium application methods on cotton yield, earliness end technological characteristics. The experiments were conducted in the Bismil district of Diyarbakır according to randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications during 2018 cotton growing season. Beyaz Altın (BA119) cotton variety and Potexan liquit potassium fertilizer were used as material. In the research, eight different application methods were used at different development periods of cotton (control; squaring; flowering; boll formation; squaring + flowering; squaring + boll formation; flowering + boll formation; squaring + flowering + boll formation). According obtained results, it was determined that there were significant differences between application methods in terms of seed cotton yield, fiber yield and ginning percentage. For fiber technological characteristics; it was determined that there was significant differences between application in terms of fiber length, while there were non-significant differences between other observed technological characteristics. Although the highest seed cotton yield and fiber yield obtained from potassium application on flowering periods, the squaring and squaring + flowering period's application methods shared the same statistical groups with flowering period. In the light of this information it was concluded that the seed cotton yield and fiber yield increased by using foliar potassium fertilizer at early development periods of cotton when comparing with that of control