Genotypic variability among cotton cultivars for heat and drought tolerance using reproductive and physiological traits

Development of rapid and inexpensive screening tools for heat and drought stress tolerance is needed and will be helpful in cotton breeding programs and selecting cultivars for a niche environment. In this study, several pollen-based traits at optimum and high temperatures and physiological parameters measured during the boll-filling period were used to evaluate variability among the cultivars for heat and drought stresses. Principal component analysis and drought stress response index methods were used to categorize cotton cultivars into three heat and drought tolerant clusters. Based on the combined analysis, PX532211WRF has been identified as heat-and drought-tolerant, and would be expected to perform better under both heat- and drought-stressed environments. A poor correlation between reproductive and physiological indices indicates that screening breeders have to use different traits to screen cultivars for reproductive and vegetative tolerance. Identified traits could serve as valuable screening tools in cotton breeding programs aimed at developing genotypes to a changing climate. Moreover, cultivar-dependent relative scores will aid in the identification of cultivars best suited to niche environments to alleviate the influences of abiotic stresses at both vegetative and reproductive stages.