全 文 ：作物学报 ACTA AGRONOMICA SINICA 2013, 39(5): 905−911 http://www.chinacrops.org/zwxb/
ISSN 0496-3490; CODEN TSHPA9 E-mail: xbzw@chinajournal.net.cn

This study was supported by the Professional (Agricultural) Researching Project for Public Interests (3-5-19), the Modern Agro-Industry
Technology Research System (Cotton 2007-2010) and the National Transgenic Cotton Production Program (2009ZX08013-014B).
* Corresponding author: YANG Guo-Zheng, E-mail: ygzh9999@mail.hzau.edu.cn, Tel: 13995553884
Received(收稿日期): 2012-08-27; Accepted(接受日期): 2012-12-12; Published online(网络出版日期): 2013-02-22.
URL: http://www.cnki.net/kcms/detail/11.1809.S.20130222.1109.001.html
DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1006.2013.00905
Effect of Potassium Application Rate on Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Bio-
mass and Yield
YANG Guo-Zheng1,2,*, WANG De-Peng1, NIE Yi-Chun1, and ZHANG Xian-Long1
1 College of Plant Science and Technology of Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; 2 Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and
Farming System in the Middle Reaches of Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan 430070, China
Abstract: Cotton production in China is recently confronted with either yield loss by plant early senescence resulted from potas-
sium (K) deficit, or cost rise and nutrients leaching by K excess use. However, the optimal K rate in term of cotton biomass pro-
duction and yield remains uncertain to make a recommendation for the farmers. Both field with random block design and outdoor
pot trials were carried out to determine how cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. vs. Huazamian H318) biomass and yield were affected
by K rates. The result showed that K2 (225 kg ha–1) harvested the highest yield (1 341 kg ha–1) and bore the most bolls (74 bolls
per square meter) in the field trial, with a similar trend for the pot trial. As expected, cotton biomass of K2 was the highest at each
of the sampling stages, especially for reproductive organs. Cotton biomass initiated simultaneously the fast accumulation period
(FAP), but terminated the period differently among five K rates (0–450 kg ha–1). During the period, K2 had the highest biomass
accumulation rate both on an average and in the maximum, and for vegetative and reproductive organs. It suggests that K rate of
225 kg ha–1 be optimal to produce a favorable yield in the field of medium fertility when N 300 kg ha–1 and P2O5 90 kg ha–1 are
applied in the Middle Reaches of Yangtze River, in which condition cotton plants accumulate greater amount of biomass with a
higher accumulating rate.
Keywords: Cotton; Potassium (K); Biomass; Yield
钾肥用量对棉花生物量和产量的影响
杨国正 1,2,* 王德鹏 1 聂以春 1 张献龙 1
1华中农业大学植物科技学院, 湖北武汉 430070; 2农业部长江中游作物生理生态与耕作重点实验室, 湖北武汉 430070
摘 要: 近年来我国棉花生产, 要么产量受制于缺钾引起的早衰, 要么过量施钾导致生产成本增加和养分流失。然而, 最
适宜棉花生物质积累和增加产量的钾肥用量并不明了, 因而也无适宜的施钾量推荐给农民。因此, 采用大田试验(随
机区组设计)和盆栽试验研究了钾肥用量对棉花(华杂棉 H318)生物量和产量的影响。结果表明, K2处理(225 kg hm–2)
产量(1341 kg hm–2)最高, 单位面积成铃数(74个 m–2)最多, 盆栽试验结果具有相同趋势。同样, K2的棉株生物量, 在
各个取样时期都最大, 尤其是生殖器官生物量。在 5个钾肥用量(0~450 kg hm–2)处理中, 棉株生物质快速累积期几乎
同时启动, 但终止期存在一定差异。棉株生物质快速累积期间, K2 处理无论是营养器官还是生殖器官生物质的平均
累积速度、最大累积速度均最高。可见, 在长江中游棉区中等肥力棉田, 同时施用 N 300 kg hm–2和 P2O5 90 kg hm–2
的条件下, 钾肥用量 225 kg hm–2更有利于棉花提高产量, 因为在这一用量条件下棉株生物质累积速度最快、累积量
最大。
关键词: 棉花; 钾肥(K); 生物量; 产量
Potassium (K) is one of the major mineral nutrients
impacting cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plant growth,
development, lint yield, and fiber quality. The studies
documented have shown a negative effect of K defi-
ciency on cotton plants with their leaf growth [1], leaf
photosynthetic rate, biomass accumulation [2-3] and its
portion in fruiting organs [4], root elongation and lateral
root formation [5], nutrients uptake [6] because of the al-
teration of plant K uptake by shoot-to-root feedback sig-
nal(s) [7], resulting in a subsequent lower lint yield and
poorer fiber quality [8].
Cotton production restricted by K deficit is becoming
906 作 物 学 报 第 39卷

increasingly concerned, because transgenic Bacillus
thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) cotton is more sensitive to K
deficit than non-Bt cotton [9], although cotton plant ap-
pears already to be more susceptible to K supply and
shows deficit symptom earlier than other field crops un-
der limited soil K [10]. As Bt cotton has been adopted in
most major cotton growing countries, including China
where its adoption reached 70% in recent years [11],
planted mainly in Yangtze River and Yellow River re-
gions, severe premature senescence owing to K defi-
ciency is occurred frequently in these areas [12]. The same
occurrence of K deficiency in cotton has increased as
well across the US Cotton Belt [13]. Moreover, cotton
plant becomes further sensitive to K deficiency if it is
grown under elevated [CO2] [14], which has been going
on.
Consequently, a great amount of reports have dis-
cussed and concluded the negative effect of K deficiency.
However, excess use of K is in the same concern practi-
cally for the farmers, because it will decrease the benefit
from cotton planting [15], cause nutrients release to the en-
vironment [16]. Nevertheless, inconsistent results [15, 17-18]
have documented in screening the optimal K rate for the
highest cotton yield. Therefore, pursuing the optimal K
management is the most important work because an op-
timal application of K rate would improve cotton plant
healthy growth, biomass production and its transportation
to reproductive organs, and cotton yield in the end. Under
this hypothesis the present study was aimed at 1) screen-
ing the optimal K rate for the highest cotton yield in the
field with medium soil fertility (100–120 mg kg–1 alka-
line N, 15–30 mg kg–1 P2O5, and 80–120 mg kg–1 K2O) in
the Middle Reaches of Yangtze River; 2) evaluating the
effect of K rates on cotton biomass accumulating pro-
gress which is related to the yield.
1 Materials and Methods
The study was conducted with a field trial in 2010 and
outdoor pot trial in 2009 and 2010 at the Experimental
Farm of Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan,
China (30°37′ north latitude, 114°21′ east longitude, 23
m above sea level) with the cultivar Huazamian H318 (G.
hirsutum L.) which has no specific requirement for K.
The soil for both field and pot trials was a yellowish
brown clay loam with a content of 1.18% organic matter,
0.091% total N, 119.5 mg kg–1 alkaline N, 42.1 mg kg–1
P2O5, and 118.4 mg kg–1 K2O.
Fertilization rate (kg ha–1) of K2O was designed for
five treatments: 0.0 (K0), 112.5 (K1), 225.0 (K2), 337.5
(K3), and 450.0 (K4).
In addition, fertilizers of 300 kg ha–1 nitrogen (N), 90
kg ha–1 phosphorus (P2O5) and 1.5 kg ha–1 boron (B) [19]
were also applied for all the treatments. The fertilizers
used were urea (46.3% N), calcium superphosphate (12%
P2O5), potash chloride (59% K2O), and borate (10% B).
Fertilization was carried out three times: pre-plant appli-
cation (PPA) (30% N, 100% P2O5, 50% K2O and 100%
B), first bloom application (FBA) (40% N and 50% K2O),
and peak bloom application (PBA) (30% N).
1.1 Pot trials
PVC pots (40 cm in height, 35 cm in diameter), with
two holes (5 mm in diameter) in the bottom drilled for
leaching, were each filled with 40 kg of soil. There were
five pots, one plant in each for each treatment, with three
replicates.
For PPA, fertilizers were mixed and blended evenly
with the top 15 cm soil two days before transplanting.
For the other two applications, fertilizer was applied
around the plant 10 cm apart from the root after being
dissolved in the same amount of water to ensure 0.4%
(W/W) of fertilizer for the highest dosage.
One seedling was transplanted in each pot at 10 DAE
(days after emergence) (on 14 May, 2009) and 13 DAE
(on 15 May, 2010), respectively. At the squaring stage,
plants were staked with bamboo sticks 5 cm away from
the stem and a plastic belt tied the plant to the stick to
prevent the plant from lodging in case of wind; the belt
was moved upward as the plant grew. The pots were
covered when it rained heavily to prevent waterlodging
or overflowing and were watered with 2 L in the evening
whenever the upper leaves appeared to be wilt before
11:00 am.
1.2 Field trial
Treatments were randomly arranged with a plot area of
32 m2 (8 m × 4 m), four rows a plot and three replicates.
Fertilizers were buried in furrows between rows for PPA
two days before transplanting, for FBA at first bloom
after they were mixed, and dropped in holes between
plants of a row for PBA 15 days after FBA.
Seedlings were transplanted at 12 DAE (on 14 May,
2010), with a density of 22 500 plants per hectare and
row spacing of 100 cm. The field management was in
accordance with the conventional practice.
1.3 Biomass measurement
Plant dry weight was measured, in 2010 for pot-grown
cotton, initially at 30 DAE for 5 times with an interval of
30 days. Three plants from each treatment were sampled
by pulling them out from the soil carefully, then, sepa-
rated into vegetative (root, stem, leaves, and branches)
and reproductive organs (buds, flowers, and bolls) and
enveloped separately. Samples were put into an electric
fan assisted oven for killing the cells at 105°C for 30 min
and drying at 80°C to a constant weight before they were
weighed.
1.4 Yield measurement
As for the pot trial, seed cotton of each matured boll
was picked on the fourth day from opening and weighed
after drying for boll weight; the total weight of all the
matured bolls was the seed cotton yield of the plant. Lint
yield was obtained by weighing the lint of each plant
第 5期 杨国正等: 钾肥用量对棉花生物量和产量的影响 907


after seed cotton was ginned. Bolls (matured only) per
plant were counted on the last sampling.
As for field trial, seed cotton of a whole plot was
picked with hand five times (on 7, 18, and 29 September
and 12 and 28 October) and weighed after drying. Seed
cotton of 100 bolls was sampled for boll weight and lint
percentage on 29 September. Bolls (>2 cm in diameter
and matured) per plant were counted on 15 September.
1.5 Statistical analysis
Microsoft Excel 2007 was adopted for data processing
and figures drawing, and SAS 8.1 was employed for
ANOVA analysis and regression. A logistic formula was
used to describe the progress of biomass accumulation [20]
as:
Y = K/(1+aebt) (1)
in which, t (d) means DAE (days after emergence), Y
(g) means biomass at t, K (g) is the maximum biomass,
and a and b are the constants to be found.
From formula (1): t0 = a/b, t1 = –[a−ln(2+ 3 )]/b, t2 =
–[a+ln(2+ 3 )]/b (2)
While t = t0, biomass accumulation has the maximum
rate:
VM = –bK/4 (3)
The period accumulating 58% of the biomass was de-
fined as the fast biomass accumulation period (FAP),
which begins at t1 and terminates at t2. During FAP, Y is
linearly correlated to t and the average rate:
VT = (Y2−Y1)/(t2−t1) (4)
2 Results
2.1 Cotton yield
As for the pot trial, K2 had the highest yield (83 and
84 g of seed cotton per plant; 33 and 34 g of lint per plant
in 2009 and 2010, respectively) with the most bolls per
plant (20 and 21 bolls per plant in 2009 and 2010, re-
spectively) (Table 1). The yield was K2 > K3, K1 > K4 >
K0 in 2009, and K2, K3 > K4, K1 > K0 in 2010, with
the bolls per plant K2, K1 > K4, K0 in 2009 and K2, K3,
K4 > K0 in 2010. Boll weight did not show any differ-
ence among treatments except K2 > K1, K0 in 2009. Lint
percentage was K3, K2, K4 > K0 in 2009, and K2, K3,
K4 > K1, K0 in 2010. No difference was observed in
yield or its components between years.
As for the field trial, the highest yield reached 3350 kg
ha–1 of seed cotton and 1340 kg ha–1 of fibre, which was
much more than the average yield in the present field
production [21] with a difference of K2 > K3 > K1, K4 >
K0 (Table 2) similar to pot trial. K2 had the most bolls
per unit area (74 bolls m–2) with a difference of K2 > K3
> K1 > K4 > K0, and had the highest lint percentage
(39.6%) differing significantly from K0. No difference in
boll weight between treatments was observed.
2.2 Cotton biomass
Cotton plant biomass (CPB) accumulated following an
organism growth curve by DAE, although differences
existed among treatments (Fig. 1). CPB curves rose as
the seedlings grew, with a different slope at different pe-
riods. The slope from 90 to 120 DAE was the steepest,
followed by that from 60 to 90 DAE and from 120 to 150
DAE; that from 30 to 60 DAE was the least. K2 had the
highest CPB, while K0 had the low est through all the
growing period, with K2 > K3 > K1, K4, K0 at the final
sampling, showing that CPB ceiled at 225 kg ha–1 K, and
responded to the K rate positively when applied lower
than 225 kg ha–1 K, and negatively when applied higher
than 225 kg ha–1 K.
Vegetative organs biomass (VOB) accumulated dif-
ferently from CPB in the curves slope (Fig. 2). VOB
slope from 60 to 90 DAE was the steepest, followed by
that from 30 to 60 DAE and from 90 to 120 DAE; and
that from 120 to 150 DAE was the least, showing that
VOB had an earlier biomass accumulation than CPB did.
VOB responded to K rate with the same trend of CPB,

Table 1 Cotton yield and its components affected by K rates in pot experiments in 2009 and 2010
Yield per plant (g)
Treatment Bolls per plant Boll weight (g)
Lint percentage
(%) Seed cotton Fiber
2010
K0 17.2 b 3.7 a 38.4 b 59.6 c 24.3 c
K1 19.7 ab 3.7 a 38.9 b 72.9 b 28.4 b
K2 21.3 a 4.0 a 40.8 a 84.1 a 34.3 a
K3 20.7 a 4.0 a 40.1 a 82.4 a 33.0 ab
K4 20.0 a 3.9 a 40.1 a 77.4 b 31.0 b
2009
K0 15.8 b 3.7 b 38.8 b 58.8 d 22.8 d
K1 19.7 a 3.8 b 39.6 ab 75.5 b 29.9 b
K2 19.8 a 4.2 a 40.3 a 82.8 a 33.4 a
K3 18.7 ab 4.1 ab 40.4 a 77.0 b 31.1 ab
K4 16.4 b 4.1 ab 40.2 a 66.9 c 26.9 c
Means within the same column followed by the same letter are not statistically different (P ≤ 0.05).

908 作 物 学 报 第 39卷

Table 2 Cotton yield and its components affected by K rates in the field trial in 2010
Yield (kg ha–1)
Treatment Bolls (No. m–2)
Boll weight
(g)
Lint percentage
(%) Seed cotton Fiber
K0 46.8 e 4.8 a 38.4 b 1984.5 d 762.9 d
K1 61.5 c 4.9 a 39.3 a 2552.7 c 974.8 c
K2 74.4 a 5.2 a 39.6 a 3347.9 a 1341.1 a
K3 68.1 b 5.2 a 39.1 a 2990.6 b 1163.7 b
K4 53.3 d 5.2 a 39.2 a 2360.0 c 915.5 c
Means within a column followed by the same letter are not statistically different (P ≤ 0.05).


Fig. 1 Cotton plant biomass (CPB) accumulation in pot grown
cotton under different K rates
Cotton biomass was sampled with 30-day intervals from 30 DAE
(days after emergence). Debris of plants was included. Plus error
bars represent 1 SE of the mean.

showing as K2 > K3, K1, K4 > K0 for the final biomass.
Reproductive organs biomass (ROB) accumulation
initiated at 30 DAE, but very little biomass was accumu-
lated until 60 DAE. From then on, the growth of ROB
increased, and ceiled from 90 to 120 DAE; after that the
growth slowed down till plant removal (150 DAE) with a
different rate among the treatments. Thus, ROB could be
grouped into five groups at 120 DAE: K2 > K3 > K1 >
K4 > K0; four groups at 150 DAE: K2 > K3 > K4, K1 >
K0 (Fig. 3). ROB increased in relation to K rate with the
same trend of CPB and VOB.
2.3 Biomass accumulation
Simulated based on formula (1), biomass accumula-
tion followed the function of logistic since they were all
significant at P < 0.005 (Table 3), although differing in
equation coefficients among treatments or items. Com-
paratively, the equations for VOB (P ≤ 0.0005) were bet-
ter than those for ROB, because the vegetative growth
ceiled during flowering period and, in contrast, reproduc-
tive growth overwhelmed during boll setting period.
Therefore, the second K application at first bloom is
more beneficial for vegetative growth.
Calculation from formulas (2), (3), and (4) based on
Table 3 showed that the initiation and termination days of
the 47-day FAP for CPB, averaged across treatments,
were 70 and 117 DAE, respectively. The maximum ac-
cumulation rate, 0.3 mg d–1 per plant more than the ave-
rage, appeared at 94 DAE (Table 4).
Differences existed among treatments in CPB accu-
mulation progress. FAP of CPB initiated at almost the
same day (69–72 DAE) for all the K rates, and termi-
nated at the latest of 123 DAE for K0, the earliest for K3,
K4, and K1 (113–115 DAE) and the middle for K2 (119
DAE), with the FAP duration of K0 (53 days) > K2 (48
days), K1 (46 days) > K4 (43 days), K3 (42 days). How-
ever, K2 had the highest biomass accumulation rate in


Fig. 2 Vegetative organs biomass (VOB) accumulation in pot
grown cotton under different K rates
Samples for vegetative organs included root, stem and branch, main
stem leaf, and subtending leaf and their debris.
Plus error bars represent 1 SE of the mean.

Fig. 3 Reproductive organs biomass (ROB) accumulation in
pot grown cotton under different K rates
Samples for reproductive organs included square, flower, and boll
and their debris. Plus error bars represent 1 SE of the mean.
第 5期 杨国正等: 钾肥用量对棉花生物量和产量的影响 909


Table 3 Regression of cotton plant biomass accumulation with the changes of days after emergence (DAE)
Plant part Treatment Formula P-value
K0 y=189.3219/(1+4.7607e–0.049308x) 0.0007
K1 y=190.3935/(1+5.1914e–0.056600x) 0.0027
K2 y=222.5624/(1+5.2120e–0.054862x) 0.0014
K3 y=199.3295/(1+5.7275e–0.062171x) 0.0050
Cotton plant biomass
K4 y=187.9148/(1+5.7010e–0.061221x) 0.0030
K0 y=90.2054/(1+4.9537e–0.066752x) 0.0005
K1 y=90.6909/(1+5.0723e–0.071738x) 0.0004
K2 y=104.7061/(1+4.8568e–0.063730x) 0.0002
K3 y=91.4090/(1+5.0571e–0.069723x) 0.0003
Vegetative organs biomass
K4 y=87.7796/(1+5.0734e–0.068453x) 0.0004
K0 y=85.0537/(1+15.7743e–0.156793x) 0.0006
K1 y=91.3161/(1+13.9980e–0.137035x) 0.0006
K2 y=107.1541/(1+14.8115e–0.147616x) 0.0017
K3 y=99.4596/(1+15.7257e–0.157367x) 0.0008
Reproductive organs biomass
K4 y=91.7565/(1+16.7651e–0.168168x) 0.0006
y: weight per plant (g); x: day.

Table 4 Biomass accumulation characteristics of cotton plant with different K application rates
Plant parts Treatment t1 DAE (d)
t2
DAE (d)
Δt
(d)
VT
(mg d–1 per plant)
VM
(mg d–1 per plant)
t0
DAE (d)
K0 69.8 123.3 53.4 2.05 2.33 96.6
K1 68.5 115.0 46.5 2.36 2.69 91.7
K2 71.0 119.0 48.0 2.72 3.10 95.0
K3 70.9 113.3 42.4 2.68 3.05 92.1
K4 71.6 114.6 43.0 2.67 2.88 93.1
Cotton plant biomass
Average 70.4 117.0 46.7 2.50 2.81 93.7
K0 54.5 93.9 39.5 1.32 1.51 74.2
K1 52.3 89.1 36.7 1.43 1.63 70.7
K2 55.5 96.9 41.3 1.46 1.67 76.2
K3 53.6 91.4 37.8 1.40 1.59 72.5
K4 54.9 93.4 38.5 1.32 1.50 74.1
Vegetative organs
biomass
Average 54.2 92.9 38.8 1.38 1.58 73.6
K0 92.2 109.0 16.8 2.92 3.33 100.6
K1 92.5 111.8 19.2 2.74 3.13 102.1
K2 91.4 109.3 17.8 3.47 3.95 100.3
K3 91.6 108.3 16.7 3.43 3.91 99.9
K4 91.9 107.5 15.7 3.38 3.86 99.7
Reproductive organs
biomass
Average 91.9 109.2 17.3 3.19 3.64 100.5
VT: the average biomass accumulation rate; VM: the maximum biomass accumulation rate.

both the average (2.7 mg d–1 per plant) and the maximum
(3.1 mg d–1 per plant); and K0 had the lowest (2.1 and 2.3
mg d–1 per plant, respectively) among all the treatments.
Averaged across the treatments, VOB accumulation
began and ended the FAP 16 days and 25 days earlier and
lasted 8 days shorter than their counterparts of CPB, re-
spectively. During FAP, both the average and the maxi-
mum rates were 44% slower, and the maximal rate ap-
peared 20 days earlier compared with CPB.
Among the treatments, VOB began and ended the FAP
at 52–56 DAE, and 89–97 DAE, respectively, lasting
37–41 days with little difference in accumulation rate,
except for K2 which began (56 DAE) and ended (97
DAE) the FAP at the latest and lasted the longest (41
days) with the highest rate (1.5 and 1.7 mg d–1 per plant
for the average and the maximum, respectively) during
910 作 物 学 报 第 39卷

the FAP (Table 4).
On average, ROB accumulation began and terminated
the FAP 38 days and 16 days later and sustained 22 days
shorter than those of VOB. Compared with VOB during
FAP, both the average and the maximal rates of ROB
were more than two times faster and the maximal rate
appeared 27 days later.
Compared to CPB and VOB, there existed the least
difference among the treatments in the characteristics of
ROB accumulation. ROB began and terminated the FAP
at 91–93 DAE and 108–112 DAE, respectively, lasting
16–19 d with an accumulation rate of 2.7–3.5 mg d–1 per
plant for the average and 3.1–4.0 mg d–1 per plant for the
maximum during the FAP (Table 4).
Yet, that K1 initiated and terminated VOB accumula-
tion the earliest, but ROB accumulation the latest with
the minimum accumulation rate, which was a kind of
exception and seemed hard to explain.
3 Discussion
Potassium is one of the three major nutritious ele-
ments to apply to the field as fertilizer in crop production,
which plays an essential role in plant growth. A favorable
and stable K concentration in cytoplasm (100 mmol L–1)
is very important for the plant cell functioning well, be-
cause it is associated with the activation of enzymes,
protein synthesis, and the negative charge neutralization
in proteins [22].
Hence premature senescence of cotton plants is a
normal phenomenon resulting in a low yield, if low K
rate is applied in the field of low soil K availability. K
deficit not only reduced photosynthetic rate, leaf area and
biomass accumulation [2-3], but also changed biomass
partitioning ratio among plant tissues with the greatest
decrease in fruit biomass [4,14], because K movement
among cell compartments, cells, or tissues can alter the
osmotic difference to regulate stomatal movement, and
phloem translocation of assimilates between source and
sink [23-24]. K deficit significantly inhibited cotton root
length and the formation of lateral roots [5-6], partially
because the endogenous free IAA content in the roots
reduced by 50%, whereas the amount of ethylene re-
leased from roots increased by nearly 6-fold [6]. The
greatest reductions for root length, total root surface area,
and root volume occurred in fine roots (0.05 mm< di-
ameter < 0.20 mm), which were more important in nu-
trient uptake than the others [6].
However, excess application of K is less productive
than the optimal according to the laws of minimum factor
and mutual effect of factors, since crop yield is affected
by numerous factors. Therefore, the balanced NPK
treatment obtained the highest cotton biomass and lint
yield [25]. And what’s more, large amounts of K+ are
leached from soils during cotton growth, especially in
areas where crops are irrigated with water that contains
significant concentrations of Ca2+ and other cations [18].
K2 initiated the FAP of ROB 1–2 d earlier than the others
and yielded the highest in the present study, which is in
accordance with the report that earlier translocation of
more dry matters into reproductive organs is one of the
key mechanisms of high K use efficiency in cotton [26].
That is the reason why a one-time but demand specific
application of even lower dosage fertilizer at FBA would
harvest a similar cotton yield as the normal fertilization
rate [27].
Obviously, Yang et al. [20] together with our present
study show that cotton yield is positively correlated to
biomass, because biomass production is the prerequisite
of cotton yield [28], and more importantly biomass parti-
tioned to reproductive organs determines the yield [29].
4 Conclusions
Neither low nor high K rate could harvest the favor-
able cotton yield, but moderate K rate of 225 kg ha–1
yielded the highest cotton fibre within the range of 0–450
kg ha–1, because under the K rate, cotton plant had a
longer duration of FAP of biomass production and a
higher accumulation rate especially for ROB. Therefore,
225 kg ha–1 K would be the optimal recommendation for
the cotton farmers in the middle reaches of Yangtze
River.
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