The present study was conducted from July to December 1998, in a covered area at DSER/CCA/UFPB, Areia/PB with the objective of evaluating the effect of four levels of available water (AW - 20, 40, 60 and 80%) in soil on the emission/abscission of reproductive structures of herbaceous cotton plant, cv. CNPA 7H. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with four treatments replicated three times and sampled at three different dates. Vegetative and reproductive growth increased with AW levels in soil. Minimum mean values for plant height (34.5 cm), leaf area (633.05 cm²), biomass accumulation of aerial parts (9.04 g), number of flower buds (4.67), flowers (3.50), fruits (2.33) and bolls (1.33) per plant, were observed for the 20% AW treatment. In contrast, the highest mean values observed for the 60% AW treatment, respectively, were 74.33 cm, 2,634.8 cm², 24.86 g, 9.67, 7.0, 6.0 and 4.3. Water stress showed significant effect (p<0,05) on emission and abscission of reproductive structures of cotton plants in an independent way. Thus, an increase or a decrease in the number of retained flower buds precedes a similar pattern for the number of flowers, fruit and mature bolls, keeping a standard proportionality, regardless of the water stress level.
Gossypium hirsutum; water management; growth; flower buds
