Silicon Promotes Physiological Adjustments, Fiber Yield and Quality Improvement of Naturally Colored Cotton BRS Safira

Abstract

Increasing population pressure generates a greater demand for food and consumer products, which forces the agricultural sector to optimize the production systems, as well as to use edible and energetic specie cultivars associated with abiotic stress-reducing substances. This investigation aimed to evaluate whether silicon (Si) promotes physiological adjustments, an increase in production, higher yield, and improved quality of naturally colored cotton fibers. Five doses of silicon (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg L−1) were tested in a completely randomized design. The variables assessed were physiological, production, fibers yield and quality produced by BRS Safira cultivar. Data were submitted to principal component analysis, multivariate and univariate variance, and multiple linear regression. Silicon promotes physiological adjustments, increased production, and cotton fiber quality. Optimum Si dose varies depending on the variable response. Fiber quality from cotton plants treated with Si is within the expected pattern for this cultivar and the international standard D-4605 of the American Society for Testing and Materials for fiber quality measurement. Therefore, planting BRS Safira cultivar under Si foliar applications may be recommended to improve the naturally colored fiber cotton production chain in the Brazilian semiarid region.

Keywords

• gossypium hirsutum
• colored cotton
• potassium silicate
• cotton yield
• fiber technologies
• plant ecophysiology