Analysis of root characteristics and drought resistance of different cotton varieties

doi:10.1016/j.jia.2026.04.007

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Haisheng Zhao¹^,³^*, Dongxiao Li¹^*, Jianzheng Duan¹^*, Siping Zhang²^,³, Shaodong Liu²^,³, Hengheng Zhang²^,³, Zhanbiao Wang¹^,²^,³, Zhenggui Zhang²^,³, Jian Wang²^,³, Chaoyou Pang²^,^3#, Liantao Liu^1#, Jing Chen¹^,²^,^3#

¹Hebei Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization/College of Agronomy, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China

²Institute of Western Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China

³Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China

Highlights

Short-root cotton varieties showed a greater increase in total root length under drought, while long-root varieties increased root biomass.

Certain short-root varieties (e.g., HN79) demonstrated relatively smaller reduction in yield under drought stress.

GWAS identified GhAIL6 on chromosome At02 as a key gene promoting cotton root growth.

Abstract
References

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摘要

根系是棉花吸收水分和养分的重要器官，不同棉花品种对干旱胁迫响应不同。探究不同根系类型棉花品种对干旱胁迫的响应特征对不同生长条件的棉花种植具有重要的指导意义。因此，本研究以384份棉花品种为材料进行室内试验，筛选出长根、短根根系品种；开展田间试验，分析两类品种对干旱胁迫的响应差异；通过全基因组关联分析（GWAS），定位与根形态相关的变异位点，筛选候选基因。研究结果表明：以室内试验的总根长为主要指标，筛选出五个长根型品种PD2164、B557、中棉所30、超鸡脚德字棉和邓恩HS120，五个短根型品种博乐34号、河南79号、中棉所50、V83-013和Ari3696。干旱胁迫试验结果表明，在干旱条件下，长根型品种平均总根长增幅（5.49%）较短根型品种（15.45%，p<0.05）小；长根型品种和短根型品种产量分别降低19%-35%和10%-37%。值得注意的是，在干旱条件下，短根型品种河南79号总根长增幅最高，为69%，并且产量降幅最低，为10%，表现出较高的抗旱性。我们还通过GWAS发现At02区域101.2-101.6MB内与主根性状相关的SNP，确定GhAIL6为根系发育相关基因。本研究鉴定出了5份长根和短根型极端棉花品种，并探明在干旱胁迫下一些短根型品种总根长增幅较大，产量降幅较小，表现出较高的抗旱性，并且鉴定了GhAIL6在棉花苗期根系发育中促进根系生长的作用。为进一步研究其对根系发育的调控机制提供理论基础，为棉花抗旱品种改良提供理论依据。

Abstract

The root system is an important organ for cotton to absorb water and nutrients. Different cotton varieties respond differently to drought stress. Therefore, this study firstly conducted an indoor experiment using 384 cotton varieties as materials, to screen long and short root varieties. Subsequently, a field experiment was performed to analyze the differences in drought responses between these two types of varieties. And then through genome-wide association analysis (GWAS), screened for candidate genes. The research results showed that, based on the total root length (TRL) as the main indicator in the indoor experiment, five long-root type varieties PD2164, B557, CCRI No.30, Super Jijiao Dezi Mian and Dunn HS120, and five short-root type varieties Bole 34, Henan No.79, CCRI No.50, V83-013 and Ari3696 were selected. The results of the drought stress experiment showed that under drought conditions, the average TRL increase of long-root type varieties (5.49%) was smaller than that of short-root type varieties (15.45%, P<0.05); the yields of long-root type varieties and short-root type varieties decreased by 19-35% and 10-37% respectively. It is notable that under drought conditions, the TRL increase of short-root type variety HN79 was the highest, at 69%, and the yield decrease was the lowest, at 10%, demonstrating higher drought resistance. We also identified SNPs related to the primary root traits in the At02 region 101.2-101.6 Mb through GWAS, and determined that GhAIL6 is a root development-related gene. This study identified ten cotton varieties exhibiting extreme long-root and short-root phenotypes. Further analysis showed that some short-root varieties exhibited greater increases in total root length and smaller reductions in yield under drought stress, indicating stronger drought resistance. Additionally, the study elucidated the pivotal role of GhAIL6 in promoting root growth during the cotton seedling stage.

Keywords: cotton varieties root system drought stress GWAS

Online: 08 April 2026

Fund:

This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China (2022D01B224).

About author: #Correspondence Chaoyou Pang, E-mail: chypang@163.com; Liantao Liu, E-mail: liultday@126.com; Jing Chen, E-mail: chenjing123sky@163.com. *These authors contributed equally to the present work.

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Haisheng Zhao, Dongxiao Li, Jianzheng Duan, Siping Zhang, Shaodong Liu, Hengheng Zhang, Zhanbiao Wang, Zhenggui Zhang, Jian Wang, Chaoyou Pang, Liantao Liu, Jing Chen. 2026. Analysis of root characteristics and drought resistance of different cotton varieties. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, Doi:10.1016/j.jia.2026.04.007

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