GROWTH AND GAS EXCHANGES OF COTTON UNDER WATER SALINITY AND NITROGEN-POTASSIUM COMBINATION

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth and gas exchanges of white-fiber cotton cv. BRS 368 RF irrigated using waters with increasing levels of salinity under nitrogen-potassium combination in a greenhouse in the municipality of Campina Grande-PB, Brazil. The treatments were distributed in randomized blocks, corresponding to five levels of electrical conductivity of water - ECw (0.7; 2.2; 3.7; 5.2 and 6.7 dS m-1) and four combinations of fertilization nitrogen-potassium - N/K2O (70/50, 100/75, 130/100, 160/125% of the recommended dose for pot experiments), with three replicates. Irrigation with water of electrical conductivity from 0.7 dS m-1 compromised the growth and gas exchanges of cotton cv. BRS 368 RF, and dry biomass of leaf, stem and root were the most sensitive variables to salt stress. The nitrogen-potassium combination of 100/75% of the recommendation for pot experiments resulted in higher growth in plant height, but the highest stomatal conductance of cotton cv. BRS 368 RF was recorded in plants cultivated with 75/50% N/K2O, at 77 days after sowing. The variation in the N/K2O combination did not interfere with biomass accumulation in cotton plants. The treatment with water of lowest salinity (0.7 dS m-1) and the combination of 160/125% of the recommendation promoted greater leaf expansion, at 107 days after sowing.