Influence of planting date and sulfur coating in seed coating solution (SCS) on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) seeds: physiological traits

In order to investigate the influence of sulfur coated seeds in SCS (a moisture absorbent polymer layer on seeds) on physiological traits of cotton, a field experiment was conducted in completely randomized design with factorial arrangement with 3 replications. Three planting date included early (E), optimum (O), and delayed (D) planting time. Seed coating priming treatments consisted of F (fuzzy seeds, control), FS (fuzzy seeds with SCS), FSS (fuzzy seeds with sulfur coating and SCS), D (delinted seeds), DS (delinted seeds with SCS), DSS (delinted seeds with sulfur coating and SCS). Findings showed that the effects of planting date and seed coating treatments on chlorophyll, anthocyanin, proline, and glycine betaine content were significant. Interaction of treatments of seed coating and planting date treatments showed that treatments of seeds with ED, EDS, ODS and DDSS, had the highest content of chlorophyll. EFSS treated seedlings had the highest content of anthocyanin (0.58 mg g-1Fw) which increased with treatments application while anthocyanin content decreased in EDS and EDSS treatments, in comparison with ED. The highest (0.76 mg g-1Fw) and lowest (0.21 mg g-1Fw) concentrations of anthocyanins were recorded when F seeds were planted at optimum date (OF) and delayed (DF) planting dates, respectively. In three planting date treatments of ED (8.82 μg g-1Fw), OFS (8.83 μg g-1Fw), and DDS (9.37 μg g-1Fw), the highest proline content was obtained. In early planting treatments, glycine betaine content decreased in all coating treatments. ED and EDS treatments had lowest glycine betaine content. Treatments of seed coating in optimum and delayed dates of planting resulted in identical amounts of glycine betaine production.