Quantifying the Effect of Water Deficit on Cotton Genotypes Using Agro-physiological and Biochemical Parameters

Chattha, W. S., Shakeel, A., Iqbal, M., Yaseen, M., Amin, M., and Mahmood, N.
(2020) Journal of Natural Fibers, 18, 12. 2021

DOI

To investigate the water-deficit tolerance, 45 cotton genotypes were grown under normal irrigation and water-deficit conditions for 2 years. Genotype x treatment x year interaction was determined for seed cotton yield, number of bolls, boll weight, chlorophyll fluorescence, proline contents, and total soluble proteins. Apart from proline levels, all traits showed a reduction under water-deficit conditions. The mean percentage reduction in seed cotton yield due to water deficit conditions was 52.83% and 42.19%, for number of bolls was 48.44% and 39.30%, for boll weight was reduced by 8.94% and 6.03% in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Reduction in chlorophyll fluorescence was 13.87% and 16.46% while soluble protein levels decreased by 25.57% and 21.09% during 2013 and 2014 respectively. For proline contents went up by 38.68% and 37.70% in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Relatively small changes in these parameters under water-deficit conditions were recorded for varieties FH-155, FH-207, FH-322, FH-329 IUB-13 and IUB-222 making these genotypes best suited for cultivation under water-deficit conditions. The positive correlation of seed cotton yield with proline contents and chlorophyll fluorescence under water-deficit condition indicates that these two traits can be considered to select cotton genotypes at early growth stages.