Effects of Different Application Rates of Silicon Fertilizer on Growth, Yield, and Fiber Quality Traits of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Effects of Different Application Rates of Silicon Fertilizer on Growth, Yield, and Fiber Quality Traits of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Effects of Different Application Rates of Silicon Fertilizer on Growth, Yield, and Fiber Quality Traits of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Muhammad Zeeshan, Yanpei Luo, Pengcheng Li, Zhenggui Zhang, Guilan Sun, and 8 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9075038/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted 15 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) is used as cash crops and widely grows in Xinjiang but has some major stress such as drought and salinization which severely effect cotton yield and its quality. Silicon nutrients are not considered as essential nutrients, but it effectively alleviates environmental stress and how silicon effects against stress are still unknown. Our study aims to investigate effect of silicon different concentrations on stresses and cotton production in adverse conditions of Xinjiang, revealing the mechanism and appropriate concentration rate by foliar methods to provide proper guidance for the enhancement of cotton in Xinjiang region. A complete randomize block design was used with four different silicon treatments rate with the available silicon content by 0%, 10%, 30% and 50%, called as control (CK, no silicon application), low silicon application rate treatment (L, 0.25g Si L − 1 ), medium silicon application (M, 0.50g Si L − 1 ) and high silicon application rate treatment (H, 1.00g Si L − 1 ). During both years of cotton growing agronomic traits, dry matter accumulation and distribution, leaf physiological indexes (MDA, Pro, POD, SOD, CAT, GR), yield components and fiber quality were systematically measured. Silicon application rate effects on cotton growth and yield were explored through comprehensive analysis of multiple indexes. Silicon foliar application significantly enhances cotton agronomic traits which are responsible for cotton vigor, growth and yield. Silicon nutrients have beneficial effects on proline content, antioxidant activities (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, malondialdehyde) and glutathione content reductase in cotton leaves ( P < 0.05). By improving cotton agronomic traits and leaves physiological indexes silicon especially medium and high concentration significantly cotton biomass. Silicon foliar application enhances the cotton yield and its components but there is no significant difference between silicon concentrations with ( P < 0.05). Silicon fertilizer enhances the agronomic traits, biomass, proline and other antioxidants activities which directly affect cotton yield against adverse conditions in Xinjiang. According to our study two years results silicon high (H, 1.00g Si L − 1 ) can be used as recommended dosage for cotton physiology and yield enhancement. Silicon cotton antioxidant biomass production fiber quality Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 12 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 12 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 11 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 09 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 06 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 05 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 29 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 22 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 16 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 08 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 07 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 09 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 09 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 09 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9075038","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":619757809,"identity":"de99537d-d23a-4ac2-bd12-910099b5b164","order_by":0,"name":"Muhammad Zeeshan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Cotton Research Institute","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Muhammad","middleName":"","lastName":"Zeeshan","suffix":""},{"id":619757810,"identity":"d2c358ea-1b76-4ff7-aeb2-8a74e4ba573c","order_by":1,"name":"Yanpei Luo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Cotton Research 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Research","twitterHandle":"@BioMedCentral","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Silicon, cotton, antioxidant, biomass, production, fiber quality","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9075038/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9075038/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eCotton (\u003cem\u003eGossypium hirsutum\u003c/em\u003e L.) is used as cash crops and widely grows in Xinjiang but has some major stress such as drought and salinization which severely effect cotton yield and its quality. Silicon nutrients are not considered as essential nutrients, but it effectively alleviates environmental stress and how silicon effects against stress are still unknown. Our study aims to investigate effect of silicon different concentrations on stresses and cotton production in adverse conditions of Xinjiang, revealing the mechanism and appropriate concentration rate by foliar methods to provide proper guidance for the enhancement of cotton in Xinjiang region. A complete randomize block design was used with four different silicon treatments rate with the available silicon content by 0%, 10%, 30% and 50%, called as control (CK, no silicon application), low silicon application rate treatment (L, 0.25g Si L\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), medium silicon application (M, 0.50g Si L\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) and high silicon application rate treatment (H, 1.00g Si L\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e). During both years of cotton growing agronomic traits, dry matter accumulation and distribution, leaf physiological indexes (MDA, Pro, POD, SOD, CAT, GR), yield components and fiber quality were systematically measured. Silicon application rate effects on cotton growth and yield were explored through comprehensive analysis of multiple indexes. Silicon foliar application significantly enhances cotton agronomic traits which are responsible for cotton vigor, growth and yield. Silicon nutrients have beneficial effects on proline content, antioxidant activities (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, malondialdehyde) and glutathione content reductase in cotton leaves (\u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). By improving cotton agronomic traits and leaves physiological indexes silicon especially medium and high concentration significantly cotton biomass. Silicon foliar application enhances the cotton yield and its components but there is no significant difference between silicon concentrations with (\u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). Silicon fertilizer enhances the agronomic traits, biomass, proline and other antioxidants activities which directly affect cotton yield against adverse conditions in Xinjiang. According to our study two years results silicon high (H, 1.00g Si L\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) can be used as recommended dosage for cotton physiology and yield enhancement.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Effects of Different Application Rates of Silicon Fertilizer on Growth, Yield, and Fiber Quality Traits of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-15 02:30:59","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9075038/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-05-13T01:07:32+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-12T07:32:13+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-11T11:04:28+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-09T19:53:09+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"288746538257917961194597244643171145456","date":"2026-05-06T08:02:25+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"124492669466358135381483697897835524514","date":"2026-05-06T02:46:11+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"318603740651543747110351534404896214870","date":"2026-04-30T14:51:46+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"7107676050294773839649025156461277435","date":"2026-04-29T10:52:00+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"311105308905364325014193740301439958086","date":"2026-04-22T05:06:42+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-16T06:43:41+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"136524338930788430595836460578882241488","date":"2026-04-08T15:07:03+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-07T16:52:46+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-03-10T01:17:24+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-03-10T01:17:05+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Journal of Cotton Research","date":"2026-03-09T15:42:40+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"journal-of-cotton-research","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"cotn","sideBox":"Learn more about [Journal of Cotton Research](https://jcottonres.biomedcentral.com)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/cotn/default.aspx","title":"Journal of Cotton Research","twitterHandle":"@BioMedCentral","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"f1443df5-04c1-46e9-ad35-a1fd6794bd04","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 15th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-05-13T01:07:32+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-12T07:32:13+00:00","index":45,"fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-11T11:04:28+00:00","index":44,"fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-09T19:53:09+00:00","index":43,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"288746538257917961194597244643171145456","date":"2026-05-06T08:02:25+00:00","index":42,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"124492669466358135381483697897835524514","date":"2026-05-06T02:46:11+00:00","index":41,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"318603740651543747110351534404896214870","date":"2026-04-30T14:51:46+00:00","index":35,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"in-revision","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-13T01:23:17+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-15 02:30:59","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9075038","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9075038","identity":"rs-9075038","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}