Effect of potassium nitrate seed priming on allometry of drought-stressed cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Drought is a multidimensional stress that results in economic mislays. Allometric features of drought-stressed cotton plants were investigated during two separate experiments. In the first experiment, susceptibility of the cotton seed germination stage towards decrease osmotic potential was evident under PEG-8000 induced drought stress. Changes in growth and biochemical constituents were studied from the field experiment and were explained on the basis of developmental plasticity under water- deficit growth conditions. Potassium nitrate was applied as the seed pre-treatment and its influence on the morphological and structural development was marked with prime reference to cotton growth and productivity under water-limited environment. A shift in the biochemical attributes was evident for drought-stressed cotton plants which showed a reduction in the chlorophyll contents. Cotton stress response was obvious from the shift in the chlorophyll a/b relative ratio which was also influenced by seed pre-treatment. It is concluded that structural modifications under a water scarce environment play a vital role in determining the morphological and physiological status of cotton. © 2015 Korean Society of Crop Science and Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.