Cotton Crop Improvement Through Natural Growth Enhancers

Abstract

Objective: Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is a major fiber and cash crop and a key component of Pakistan’s agricultural economy. However, its productivity is increasingly limited by abiotic stresses that negatively affect growth, fiber quality and yield. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of selected natural growth enhancers to mitigate the adverse effects of abiotic stress on cotton growth and productivity.

Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted at the research farm of the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Constituent College Burewala. A randomized complete block design was employed with three replications and a net plot size of 6×9 m. Six foliar spray treatments were evaluated: control, distilled water, ginger root extract (1%), jantar leaf extract (1%), turmeric root extract (1%) and sugar beet extract (2%). Data were analyzed using Statistix 8.1 and treatment means were compared using Tukey’s least significant difference (LSD) test at the 5% probability level.

Results: Foliar application of sugar beet extract at 2% significantly enhanced cotton growth and yield attributes compared with all other treatments. This treatment resulted in the highest number of bolls per plant (50.03), boll weight (5.0 g) and biological yield (11.3 t ha^–1), indicating superior performance in alleviating abiotic stress effects.

Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that foliar application of 2% sugar beet extract is an effective natural growth enhancer for improving cotton growth and yield under abiotic stress conditions. Its use offers an environmentally friendly and sustainable approach to enhancing cotton productivity in stress-prone agroecosystems.