Pre-Sowing Irrigation Plus Surface Fertilization Improves Morpho-Physiological Traits and Sustaining Water-Nitrogen Productivity of Cotton

Abstract

The changing climatic conditions are causing erratic rains and frequent episodes of moisture stress; these impose a great challenge to cotton productivity by negatively affecting plant physiological, biochemical and molecular processes. This situation requires an efficient management of water-nutrient to achieve optimal crop production. Wise use of water-nutrient in cotton production and improved water use-efficiency may help to produce more crop per drop. We hypothesized that the application of nitrogen into deep soil layers can improve water-nitrogen productivity by promoting root growth and functional attributes of cotton crop. To test this hypothesis, a two-year pot experiment under field conditions was conducted to explore the effects of two irrigation levels (i.e., pre-sowing irrigation (W80) and no pre-sowing irrigation (W0)) combined with different fertilization methods (i.e., surface application (F10) and deep application (F30)) on soil water content, soil available nitrogen, roots morpho-physiological attributes, dry mass and water-nitrogen productivity of cotton. W80 treatment increased root length by 3.1%−17.5% in the 0−40 cm soil layer compared with W0. W80 had 11.3%−52.9% higher root nitrate reductase activity in the 10−30 cm soil layer and 18.8%−67.9% in the 60−80 cm soil layer compared with W0. The W80F10 resulted in 4.3%−44.1% greater root nitrate reductase activity compared with other treatments in the 0−30 cm soil layer at 54−84 days after emergence. Water-nitrogen productivity was positively associated with dry mass, water consumption, root length and root nitrate reductase activity. Our data highlighted that pre-sowing irrigation coupled with basal surface fertilization is a promising option in terms of improved cotton root growth. Functioning in the surface soil profile led to a higher reproductive organ biomass production and water-nitrogen productivity.

Keywords

• cotton
• dry matter yield
• root growth
• root physiology
• water productivity
• nitrogen productivity