Stress Remediation with An Anti-Ethylene Compound in Cotton.

Under stress, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants synthesize higher levels of ethylene resulting in potential loss of fruit. 1-methlycyclopropene (1-MCP) is a gaseous competitive inhibitor of ethylene action blocking ethylene binding sites and preventing ethylene detrimental effects in plant tissues. The compound is believed to impact positively a variety of physiological effects, and is largely applied in a wide variety of horticultural crops to counter ethylene effects. This study had the objective to evaluate the consequences of 1-MCP treatment on cotton yield components in plants experiencing stress. Two field studies were conducted in 2007 and 2008 at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in Burleson County, Texas, as a randomized complete block design with four replications. Treatments were three rates of 1-MCP (0, 25, and 50 g a.i. ha^-1) in combination with a surfactant at rates of 0 and 0.375% v v^-1 applied 93 days after planting. On the following day, ethephon (ethylene synthetic hormone) was applied at 0 and 292 mL ha^-1, as a source of stress.