The effect of soaking cotton seeds, cultivar IPR 120, in mepiquat chloride solution and foliar application of such substance on plant height, development and yield of cotton plants were evaluated. The experiment was carried out under field conditions in Londrina, PR, Brazil. Treatments were displayed in a completely randomized design using a random factorial (5X2): five concentrations of mepiquat chloride (0; 0.5; 2.5; 5.0 and 7.5% (v/v)) for seed soaking and two (0 and 120 g i.a.ha-1) foliar application, replicated four times. The first two applications were done at 17 and 32 days after emergence, and the remaining five at 10-day intervals. Seed treatment with mepiquat chloride affected plant and cotyledon node heights, but showed no effect on the first productive branch insertion and the total number of branches, reproductive branches, bolls per plant and first position bolls. All these variables were affected by the foliar application.
Growth regulator; sequential foliar application; seed treatment; Gossypium hirsutum
