Deciphering drought tolerance in cotton genotypes through integrated morpho-physiological and biochemical markers at flowering stage.

ABSTRACT: Drought stress is one of the major abiotic factors that severely limits global cotton yield by disrupting essential morpho-physiological and biochemical functions. In this study, forty genetically diverse cotton genotypes were evaluated under three irrigation levels: control (100% field capacity), moderate (60% FC), and severe drought (40% FC), during the flowering stage in a controlled glasshouse environment. Increasing drought intensity led to a gradual decline in growth and physiological attributes. Severe stress reduced shoot and root lengths by 61% and 52%, respectively, compared with the control. Similarly, the photosynthetic rate and relative water content decreased by 60% and 32%. Conversely, stress-induced biochemical responses intensified, with proline content rising by 57% and s

SUBMITTER: Shani MY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12714781 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature