Influence of Foliar Applied Benzoic Acid in Heat Stressed Cotton

A field and a pot experiment were conducted to study the influence of foliar-applied benzoic acid on growth, yield, and nutrients¿ uptake in heat-stressed cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).The field experiment was conducted at Agronomic Research Area while the pot experiment was conducted at Glasshouse of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, during Kharif 2014. A field experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block design (RCBD) with a split-plot arrangement in three replications with a net plot size of 3 × 4.5 m. The pot experiment was conducted in a glasshouse using a completely randomized design with the split arrangement in three replications. Treatments included; (A) Two levels of heat stress; plots without polythene sheet (control), plots covered with polythene sheet at square initiation for one week (heat stress), (B) Six benzoic acid levels; viz. control (no spray), control (water spray), benzoic acid spray at 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00 mM. The crop in field was sown on 75cm apart ridges and plant to plant distance was maintained at 30 cm whereas in pots there was one plant/pot. All other agronomic practices were kept normal and uniform.