Abstract
BackgroundNitrogen (N) is important for improving various morphological and physiological processes of cotton but their contribution to fiber quality is still lacking.AimsThe current study aimed to explore the relationship between root morphology, subtending leaf physiology, and fiber quality of contrasting N-efficient cotton genotypes in response to N.MethodsWe analyzed the above parameters of CCRI 69 (N-efficient) and Xinluzao-30 (XLZ-30, N-inefficient) under control (2.5 mmol·L−1) and high N (5 mmol·L−1) conditions.ResultsThe results showed that root morphological traits were increased in CCRI-69 under control conditions than high N. Subtending leaf morphology, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, free amino acids, and soluble proteins were higher under high N as compared with the control. However, soluble sugars, fructose, sucrose contents, and sucrose phosphate synthase were higher under control conditions than high N across the growth stages. Irrespective of the N conditions, all morphological and physiological traits of cotton subtending leaf were higher in CCRI-69 than XLZ-30. Except for fiber uniformity, fiber quality traits like fiber length, strength, micronaire, and elongation were improved under control conditions than high N. Between the genotypes, CCRI-69 had significantly higher fiber length, strength, micronaire, and elongation as compared with XLZ-30. Strong positive correlations were found between root morphology, soluble sugars, sucrose content, and sucrose phosphate synthase activity with fiber quality traits, respectively.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that CCRI-69 performed better in terms of growth and fiber quality under relatively low N condition, which will help to reduce fertilizer use, the cost of production, and environmental pollution.
Highlights
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is the most popular natural fiber for clothing and textile products accounting for approximately 25% of total world fiber use (IqbalASIF et al Journal of Cotton Research (2021) 4:322010)
N plays a critical role in the root morphology, subtending leaf morphology and physiology as well as in cotton fiber quality
Root morphology and nonstructural carbohydrate contents like fructose, sucrose contents, and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity were considerably increased under control conditions in CCRI-69 as compared with XLZ-30 across the growth stages
Summary
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is the most popular natural fiber for clothing and textile products accounting for approximately 25% of total world fiber use (IqbalASIF et al Journal of Cotton Research (2021) 4:322010). There are many field management aspects responsible for this stagnancy in China, such as inappropriate sowing method and time, unbalanced fertilization, inappropriate irrigation, poor pest management, and others. Of all these aspects, the unbalanced application of fertilizer, especially nitrogen (N) is certainly a major factor (Nasim et al 2011). The unbalanced application of fertilizer, especially nitrogen (N) is certainly a major factor (Nasim et al 2011) Both the yield and fiber quality of cotton are important factors in determining a producer’s profit. Nitrogen (N) is important for improving various morphological and physiological processes of cotton but their contribution to fiber quality is still lacking
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