INFLUENCE OF VARIOUS NITROGEN-SOURCES ON IONIC BALANCE, NONVOLATILE ORGANIC-ACIDS, NITROGEN UPTAKE AND DRY-MATTER PRODUCTION OF COTTON GROWN UNDER SUDAN GEZIRA CONDITIONS

The effect of different nitrogen forms on cations, anions, ionic balan ce (C-A), non-volatile organic acids, nitrogen uptake and dry matter p roduction of cotton plant, Gossypium barbadense, variety <<Barakat>> h ad been studied. The concentrations of cations in shoot of plants trea ted with (NH4)2SO4 or urea were almost equal, but NH4NO3 treated plant s showed somewhat higher values with respect to Ca++, and all nitrogen treated plants showed significantly higher values than control plants . The (C-A) values of nitrogen treated plants were all significantly h igher than that of control plants, with NH4NO3 showing superiority in this respect. The shoots of plants treated with NH4NO3 were superior i n nitrogen uptake, dry matter production and non-volatile organic acid s when compared to (NH4)2SO4 or urea treated plants. Malate and citrat e were the dominant organic acids for most of the plant parts of the d ifferent treatments, with citrate prominent in the NH4NO3 treatment an d malate prominent in the other treatments.