Effect of CoRoN~(TM) slow release foliar nitrogen fertilizer on cotton growth and yield

摘要

Evidence has shown that soil fertilization cannot always meet cotton's high demand for nitrogen and supplementation with foliar fertilizer has become a widespread practice. However, yield responses to foliar-applied nitrogen have not always been consistent. CoRoN~(TM) a slow release nitrogen fertilizer has been proposed as a potentially superior alternative method of foliar feeding with nitrogen. The value of CoRoN~(TM) for enhancing growth and yield of cotton was evaluated in a six-year field study in Arkansas. Foliar application of CoRoN~(TM) to field-grown cotton resulted in significant (P=0.05) yield increases in 2 out of 6 years, with an overall average increase of 51 kg lint ha~(-1) compared to the control. Compared to foliar- applied urea, CoRoN~(TM) increased yields an average of 28 kg lint/ha but this was not statistically significant. Furthermore, CoRoN~(TM) caused a significant increase in boll weight in 1 out of the 4 years with no significant effect on boll number. The effect of CoRoN~(TM) on petiole nitrate concentrations was inconsistent. Foliar application of CoRoN~(TM) caused no significant phytotoxicity up to 22.4 kg N ha~(-1) (20 lb. N acre~(-1)), in contrast to foliar-applied urea which caused significant leaf burn at 11.2 kg N ha~(-1) (10 lb. N acre~(-1)). From this work it can be concluded that the effect of foliar-applied CoRoN~(TM) on yield was not significantly different from urea. CoRoN~(TM) had an advantage of not causing any significant foliar burn. These studies indicate that as a foliar nitrogen fertilizer CoRoN~(TM) does not consistently improve cotton production.