Two field experiments were carried out at Gemmeiza Agricultural Research
Station, Gharbia Governorate during 2000 and 2001 seasons to study the effect of
pre-sowing soaking cotton seed (cv. Giza 89) for 20 hours in solutions of 100 ppm
gibberellic acid (GAJ); 1000 ppm ascorbic acid (AA) and an aqueous filtered solution
of 2% calcium superphosphate (SP) in comparison with soaking cotton seed in water
as a control on the required time to full germination, germination percentage, leaf
chemical composition, growth, earliness, yield and yield components of cotton. Generally, soaking cotton seed in GAJ or in an aqueous filtered solution of
SP significantly reduced the required time to full germination as compared with
control. Soaking seed in AA decreased also this period but to a less extent. Also,
germination percentaqe was significantly affected by soaking seed treatments.
Soaking seed. in GA-J and in AA gave the highest values of germination percentage
followed by that soaking in an aqueous filtered solution of SP while soaking seed in
water (control) gave the lowest value. In addition, soaking cotton seed treatments gave insignificant effect on leaf
macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) and copper concentrations at 120 days old.
However, soaking cotton seed· treatments significantly affected leaf Zn and Mn
concentrations in favour of soaking seed in an aqueous filtered solution of SP. Leaf Fe
concentration was significantly affected by soaking seed treatments but not follow a
definite trend. Soaking seed in an aqueous filtered solution of calcium superphosphate
significantly increased the root dry weight! plant, fruiting parts dry weight! plant, total
dry weight! plant, leaf area! plant and leaf area index at 120 days old as compared
with soaking cotton seed in water (control). In addition, soaking cotton seed in the
three experienced solutions (GAJ, AA and SP) significantly increased plant height at
harvest and number of main stem internodes as compared with soaking cotton seed
in water (control) . Soaking cotton seed in an aqueous filtered solution of calcium
superphosphate produced the highest values of number of open bolls! plant, seed
cotton yield! plant as wp.1I as seed cotton yield! fed. in both seasons as compared
with other treatments. Whereas, soaking cotton seed in GAJ gave the highest number
of plants! feddan at harvest followed by soaking seed in AA or in SP while soaking
seed in water (control) gave the lowest number. The results concluded that pre-sowing soaking of fuzzy cotton seed in an
aqueous filtered solution of 2%calcium superphosphate for 20 hours is the best
treatment for good growth and high productivity of.cotton (cv. Giza 89).