Effects of Salinity Stress on Some Growth, Physiological, and Biochemical Parameters in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Germplasm

Abstract

ABSTRACT The production of cotton is negatively affected by salinity. For this purpose, 8 parents and their 16 F1 hybrids were evaluated under saline stress (15 dSm−1) in Line × Tester fashion. Mean values of plant height, number of bolls plant−1, boll weight, lint weight, seed cotton yield plant−1, seed index, no. of seeds boll−1, seed mass boll−1, lint mass boll−1, seed volume per 100 seeds, fiber strength, fiber length, lint%, K+, K+/Na+ ratio, CAT, TSP, chlorophyll a, b, and relative water contents decreased under salt stress whilst the values of lint index, seed density, fiber fineness, Na+, H2O2, SOD, POD carotenoids, malondialdehyde, phenolic contents, ascorbic acid, and flavonoids increased under saline conditions. Under saline MS-71× CRS-2007, MS-71× KAHKASHAN, and IUB-65 × FH-312 exhibited performed better than other genotypes for most traits. For fiber quality traits IUB-65× CRS-2007 and IUB-65× FH-312 showed the highest value under salt stress. Improved identified cotton genotypes can enhance our capacity to grow cotton in salt-affected soils and the key morpho-biochemical traits can potentially be exploited to obtain higher and more stable crops yield under stressed environments.