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Summary: Caterpillar feeding immediately triggers the release of volatile compounds stored in the leaves of cotton plants. Additionally, after 1 d of herbivory, the leaves release other newly synthesised volatiles. We investigated whether these volatiles affect chemical defences in neighbouring plants and whether such temporal shifts in emissions matter for signalling between plants.Undamaged receiver plants were exposed to volatiles from plants infested with Spodoptera caterpillars. For receiver plants, we measured changes in defence‐related traits such as volatile emissions, secondary metabolites, phytohormones, gene expression, and caterpillar feeding preference. Then, we compared the effects of volatiles emitted before and after 24 h of damage on neighbouring plant defences.Genes that were upregulated in receiver plants following exposure to volatiles from damaged plants were the same as those activated directly by herbivory on a plant. Only volatiles emitted after 24 h of damage, including newly produced volatiles, were found to increase phytohormone levels, upregulate defence genes, and enhance resistance to caterpillars.These results indicate that the defence induction by volatiles is a specific response to de novo synthesised volatiles, suggesting that these compounds are honest signals of herbivore attack. These findings point to an adaptive origin of airborne signalling between plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osmotin is classified as the pathogenesis‐related protein 5 group. However, its molecular mechanism involved in plant disease resistance remains largely unknown. Here, a Verticillium wilt (VW) resistance‐related osmotin gene is identified in Gossypium barbadense (Gb), GbOSM1. GbOSM1 is preferentially expressed in the roots of disease‐resistant G. barbadense acc. Hai7124 and highly induced by Verticillium dahliae (Vd). Silencing GbOSM1 reduces the VW resistance of Hai7124, while overexpression of GbOSM1 in disease‐susceptible G. hirsutum improves tolerance. GbOSM1 predominantly localizes in tonoplasts, while it relocates to the apoplast upon exposure to osmotic stress or Vd infection. GbOSM1 confers VW resistance by hydrolyzing cell wall polysaccharides of Vd and activating plant immune pathways. Natural variation contributes to a differential CCAAT/CCGAT elements in the OSM1 promoter in cotton accessions. All G. hirsutum (Gh) exhibit the CCAAT haplotype, while there are two haplotypes of CCAAT/CCGAT in G. barbadense, with higher expression and stronger VW resistance in CCGAT haplotype. A NFYA5 transcription factor binds to the CCAAT element of GhOSM1 promoter and inhibits its transcription. Silencing GhNFYA5 results in higher GhOSM1 expression and enhances VW resistance. These results broaden the insights into the functional mechanisms of osmotin and provide an effective strategy to breed VW‐resistant cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is the world's most important fiber crop, critical to global textile industries and agricultural economies. However, cotton yield and harvest quality are undermined by the challenges introduced from invading pathogens and pests. Plant-synthesized oxylipins, specifically 9-hydroxy fatty acids resulting from 9-lipoxygenase activity (9-LOX), enhance the growth and development of many microbes and pests. We hypothesized that targeted disruption of 9-LOX-encoding genes in cotton could bolster crop resilience against prominent agronomic threats. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (FOV), Aphis gossypii (cotton aphid), and tobacco rattle virus induced the expression of 9-oxylipin biosynthesis genes, suggesting that the 9-LOX gene products were susceptibility factors to these stressors. Transiently disrupting the expression of the 9-LOX-encoding genes by virus-induced gene silencing significantly reduced target transcript accumulation, and this correlated with impaired progression of FOV infections and a significant decrease in the fecundity of cotton aphids. These findings emphasize that the cotton 9-LOX-derived oxylipins are leveraged by multiple pathogens and pests to enhance their virulence in cotton, and reducing the expression of 9-LOX-encoding genes can benefit cotton crop vitality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbicides play a crucial role in boosting crop yields, yet the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds and the susceptibility of crops to herbicides have posed significant challenges to their efficacy. β-Triketone herbicides specifically target the enzyme 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD), which is essential for plant growth. Remarkably, few resistant weeds have been identified against these herbicides. In this study, we aimed to identify mutations within the cotton HPPD gene that confer resistance to mesotrione, a widely used triketone herbicide. Through the establishment of a high-throughput mutant screening system in Escherichia coli , we identified four single nucleotide changes leading to amino acid substitutions in HPPD, resulting in mesotrione resistance while preserving native enzymatic activity. Various combinations of these mutations displayed synergistic effects on herbicide resistance. Additionally, the HPPD variants were able to complement the Arabidopsis athppd mutant, indicating their retention of sufficient native activity for plant growth and development. Expression of these cotton HPPD variants in Arabidopsis resulted in heightened herbicide resistance. These findings offer critical insights into the target amino acids of HPPD for gene editing, paving the way for the development of herbicide-resistant cotton in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes methods for preparing natural fabrics for direct printing. The influence of preliminary plasma treatment of natural fabrics on color fastness to washing has been studied. Cotton fabrics and Tencel fabric made from eucalyptus fibers have been examined. Plasma treatment was used to modify the fabrics. The plasma type was nonequilibrium, low-temperature; capacitively coupled radiofrequency discharge plasma in air. It has been established that the plasma treatment of the fabrics in air at a power of 2000 W helps to increase color fastness to washing by up to 82%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) leaf chlorophyll (Chl) has been targeted as a phenotype for breeding selection to improve cotton tolerance to environmental stress. However, high-throughput phenotyping methods based on hyperspectral reflectance sensing are needed to rapidly screen cultivars for chlorophyll in the field. The objectives of this study were to deploy a cart-based field spectroradiometer to measure cotton leaf reflectance in two field experiments over four growing seasons at Maricopa, Arizona and to evaluate 148 spectral vegetation indices (SVI's) and 14 machine learning methods (MLM's) for estimating leaf chlorophyll from spectral information. Leaf tissue was sampled concurrently with reflectance measurements, and laboratory processing provided leaf Chl a , Chl b , and Chl a+b as both areas-basis (µg cm-2) and mass-basis (mg g-1) measurements. Leaf reflectance along with several data transformations involving spectral derivatives, log-inverse reflectance, and SVI's were evaluated as MLM input. Models trained with 2019–2020 data performed poorly in tests with 2021–2022 data (e.g., RMSE=23.7% and r2 = 0.46 for area-basis Chl a+b), indicating difficulty transferring models between experiments. Performance was more satisfactory when training and testing data were based on a random split of all data from both experiments (e.g., RMSE=10.5% and r2 = 0.88 for area basis Chl a+b), but performance beyond the conditions of the present study cannot be guaranteed. Performance of SVI's was in the middle (e.g., RMSE=16.2% and r2 = 0.69 for area-basis Chl a+b), and SVI's provided more consistent error metrics compared to MLM's. Ensemble MLM's which combined estimates from several base estimators (e.g., random forest, gradient booting, and AdaBoost regressors) and a multi-layer perceptron neural network method performed best among MLM's. Input features based on spectral derivatives or SVI's improved MLM's performance compared to inputting reflectance data. Spectral reflectance data and SVI's involving red edge radiation were the most important inputs to MLM's for estimation of cotton leaf chlorophyll. Because MLM's struggled to perform beyond the constraints of their training data, SVI's should not be overlooked as practical plant trait estimators for high-throughput phenotyping, whereas MLM's offer great opportunity for data mining to develop more robust indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root exudation of N is a plant input to the soil environment and may be differentially regulated by the plant during drought. Organic N released by root systems has important implications in rhizosphere biogeochemical cycling considering the intimate coupling of C and N dynamics by microbial communities. Besides amino acids, diverse molecules exuded by root systems constitute a significant fraction of root exudate organic N but have yet to receive a metabolomic and quantitative investigation during drought. To observe root exudation of N during drought, mature cotton plants received progressive drought and recovery treatments in an aeroponic system throughout their reproductive stage and were compared to control plants receiving full irrigation. Root exudates were nondestructively sampled from the same plants at 9 timepoints over 18 days. Total organic C and N were quantified by combustion, inorganic N with spectrophotometric methods, free amino acids by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and untargeted metabolomics by Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance-mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). Results indicate that organic N molecules in root exudates were by far the greatest component of root exudate total N, which accounted for 20-30% of root exudate mass. Drought increased root exudation of organic N (62%), organic C (6%), and free amino acid-N (562%), yet free amino acids were <5% of the N balance. Drought stress significantly increased root exudation of serine, aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamic acid, tryptophan, glutamine, phenylalanine, and lysine compared to the control. There was a total of 3,985 molecules detected across root exudate samples, of which 41% contained N in their molecular formula. There were additionally 349 N-containing molecules unique to drought treatment and 172 unique to control. Drought increased the relative abundance and redistributed the molecular weights of low molecular weight N-containing molecules. Time-series analysis revealed root exudation of organic N was stimulated by drought and was sensitive to the degree of drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing water use efficiency is a key strategy to improve drought resistance in cotton. Although drought priming has been recognized for enhancing plant tolerance to drought, its impact on upland cotton remains uncertain. In a pot trial with Xinluzao19, we studied the influence of soil drought and drought priming on seedlings. Primed plants maintained similar height to non-primed ones but showed significant differences in hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, and enzyme activities, indicating improved reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis. Transcriptome analysis revealed 1441 upregulated genes and 12,024 downregulated genes in RD6D compared to D6D. GO enrichment and KEGG metabolic pathway analysis also revealed that numerous stress-related genes and defense pathways were significantly enriched. Some genes linked to ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase displayed similar expression profiles with enzymatic activities. These insights contribute to enhancing cotton and overall crop productivity, particularly under water-deficit conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The cotton genus comprises both diploid and allotetraploid species, and the diversity in petal colour within this genus offers valuable targets for studying orthologous gene function differentiation and evolution. However, the genetic basis for this diversity in petal colour remains largely unknown. The red petal colour primarily comes from C, G, K, and D genome species, and it is likely that the common ancestor of cotton had red petals. Here, by employing a clone mapping strategy, we mapped the red petal trait to a specific region on chromosome A07 in upland cotton. Genomic comparisons and phylogenetic analyses revealed that the red petal phenotype introgressed from G. bickii. Transcriptome analysis indicated that GhRPRS1, which encodes a glutathione S‐transferase, was the causative gene for the red petal colour. Knocking out GhRPRS1 resulted in white petals and the absence of red spots, while overexpression of both genotypes of GhRPRS1 led to red petals. Further analysis suggested that GhRPRS1 played a role in transporting pelargonidin‐3‐O‐glucoside and cyanidin‐3‐O‐glucoside. Promoter activity analysis indicated that variations in the promoter, but not in the gene body of GhRPRS1, have led to different petal colours within the genus. Our findings provide new insights into orthologous gene evolution as well as new strategies for modifying promoters in cotton breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity stress presents a challenging dilemma for plant growth and development. It disrupts cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield through an immediate osmotic and a slower ionic phase, ultimately diminishing its fibre quality. Seed priming, a low‐cost seed pre‐treatment, mitigates these effects by triggering prior metabolic processes and subsequent gene expression. This pioneering work aimed to improve agronomic, physicochemical parameters and fibre characteristics in cotton genotypes (GH‐Baghdadi and GH‐Mubarak) by potassium nitrate (KNO3) mediated osmopriming (1.25% and 1.5% conc.) for 15, 20 and 25 h, along with an un‐primed control under saline field conditions. The randomised complete block design experiment in triplicate was conducted in 2019 and 2020 at the soil with electrical conductivity (extract) (ECe) 9.44 dS m−1 to investigate optimal priming media and priming duration. The results showed that salinity impaired physicochemical and agronomic parameters in the control experiment. However, seed priming with 1.5% KNO3 for 20 h significantly improved the yield and yield contributing components in both genotypes. Maximum values for chlorophyll (Chl) a and b were recorded at 1.50 and 0.90 mg g−1 fresh weight (FW), respectively, under this treatment. Similarly, the chlorophyll‐a fluorescence parameters (Chl‐a FPs), such as the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) (0.83), effective quantum yield of PSII (ΦPSII) (0.76) and photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) (0.85), indicated improved light harvesting, electron transport and photosynthetic capacity. Furthermore, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) increased to 19.65 mmol CO2 m−2 s−1, while stomatal conductance (gs) reached 28.39 mmol CO2 m−2 s−1 at the same treatment. A strongly positive correlation was found between chl‐a FPs and net photosynthetic yield. Enzymatic activities, including catalase (CAT) at 2.17 unit mg−1, superoxide dismutase (SOD) at 1.05 unit mg−1 and peroxidase (POD) at 1.50 unit mg−1 were significantly enhanced, along with leaf potassium (K) (14.3 mg g−1 dry weight [DW]) and calcium (Ca) (6.7 mg g−1 DW), particularly in GH‐Mubarak. Seed‐cotton yield (SCY) increased to 5274 kg h−1 and fibre strength (FS) improved to 31.3 thousand pounds per square inch (tppsi), while ginning out‐turn (GOT) reached a maximum of 45% at 1.5% KNO3 for 20 h in both genotypes. The micronaire value (4 μg in.−2) significantly decreased, indicating improved fibre fineness. Correlation analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between physicochemical and agronomic traits, particularly gas exchange characteristics, chlorophyll content and Chl‐a FPs, which are strongly associated with SCY and fibre characteristics. In conclusion, priming cotton seeds with 1.5% KNO3 for 20 h is a promising strategy for mitigating salinity stress and enhancing physicochemical attributes and agronomic traits, ultimately leading to improved cotton yield and fibre quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural fibers have garnered considerable attention owing to their desirable textile properties and advantageous effects on human health. Nevertheless, natural fibers lag behind synthetic fibers in terms of both quality and yield, as these attributes are largely genetically determined. In this article, a comprehensive overview of the natural and synthetic fiber production landscape over the last 10 years is presented, with a particular focus on the role of scientific breeding techniques in improving fiber quality traits in key crops like cotton, hemp, ramie, and flax. Additionally, the article delves into cutting-edge genomics-assisted breeding techniques, including QTL mapping, genome-wide association studies, transgenesis, and genome editing, and their potential role in enhancing fiber quality traits in these crops. A user-friendly compendium of 11226 available QTLs and significant marker-trait associations derived from 136 studies, associated with diverse fiber quality traits in these crops is furnished. Furthermore, the potential applications of transcriptomics in these pivotal crops, elucidating the distinct genes implicated in augmenting fiber quality attributes are investigated. Additionally, information on 11257 candidate/characterized or cloned genes sourced from various studies, emphasizing their key role in the development of high-quality fiber crops is collated. Additionally, the review sheds light on the current progress of marker-assisted selection for fiber quality traits in each crop, providing detailed insights into improved cultivars released for different fiber crops. In conclusion, it is asserted that the application of modern breeding tools holds tremendous potential in catalyzing a transformative shift in the textile industry. KEY POINTS: Natural fibers possess desirable properties, but they often lag behind synthetic fibers in terms of both quality and quantity. Genomic-assisted breeding has the potential to improve fiber quality traits in cotton, hemp, ramie, and flax. Utilizing available QTLs, marker-trait associations, and candidate genes can contribute to the development of superior fiber crops, underscoring the significance of advanced breeding tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Cu Fibers 2024 exhibition at the Wari Watai studio, showcasing textile pieces made from hemp, cotton, and copper. The exhibition focuses on exploring materials and techniques without confining them to specific purposes, emphasizing creativity and experimentation. The exhibition reflects a new era of textiles in India that draws from tradition while responding to contemporary contexts, highlighting the evolving movement in Indian textiles. [Extracted from the article]

The ucetek entari, üç etek or three-skirt robe, was the main element of traditional Turkish women's clothing, worn with a chemise and shalwar. The features of this special garment extend to the clothing culture of the ancestors of the Turks who lived in Eurasia. The structure of the ucetek entari is typical Ottoman attire, with a small standup collar, long sleeves open up to the elbows, high slits on each side of the skirt, and triangular pieces added for fullness. This research was conducted in the Izmir Ethnography Museum to analyze the fabrics, embroidery, and pattern-making techniques of the ucetek entari, along with their zero waste and multifunctional design approach. The main fabrics, linings, facings, their yarn count in the warp and weft directions, pattern dimensions, embroidery properties, other surface decorations, and technical drawings of the robes were photographed and examined in detail. The results revealed that ucetek entaris were daily or special occasion wear which were designed using mostly silk and cotton fabrics. The focus of this research is to analyze in depth the ucetek entaris in the Izmir Ethnography Museum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A generalised approach to downscale areal observations of crop production data is illustrated using cotton yield and fibre quality (length and micronaire) data which is measured as a module (areal/block) average. Methods: Two features of the downscaling algorithm are; (i) to estimate spatial trends in yield and quality using regression with fine resolution predictors such as remote sensing imagery, and (ii) use area-to-point kriging (A2PK) to downscale either the observations in the absence of a useful spatial trend model or the residuals from the trend model (if useful) from areal averages. Results: Correlations with remote sensing covariates were stronger for cotton fibre yield than for cotton fibre micronaire, and much stronger compared to those for cotton fibre length. Spatial trends in cotton fibre yield and micronaire could be estimated with good model quality using regression with remote sensing covariates with or without A2PK in almost all fields. Conversely, model quality was poorer for cotton fibre length and there was only a small difference in model performance between the null and trend models. When the downscaling approach was tested using fine-resolution yield observations, model performance was poorer at a fine-resolution compared to the module-resolution, which was to be expected. Conclusion: This approach enables the creation of high-resolution raster maps of variables of interest with a much finer spatial resolution compared to the areal observations, and can be applied for any areal averaged crop production data in a range of broadacre and horticultural industries (e.g. sugarcane, apples, citrus). The finer spatial resolution may allow growers or agronomists to better understand the drivers of variability within fields, assess management implications, and create management plans at a higher resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mosquito-repellent textiles are classified as protective textiles designed to mitigate the presence of mosquito species recognised as vectors for diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of employing a nanoemulsion system containing lemongrass essential oil encapsulated with biopolymers, specifically tragacanth gum and cationic guar gum, as finishing materials on cotton and polyester fabrics. Being anionic biopolymer, tragacanth gum has resulted in outstanding zeta potential, polydispersity index, particle size and encapsulation efficiency with the values of − 38.1 mV, 0.2, 14.1 nm and 99%, respectively. The positively charged guar gum that interacted with aluminium chloride led to precipitation, which disfavoured retention and repellency properties. Based on correlation coefficient (R2) values for tragacanth gum (0.9832) and cationic guar gum (0.9761)-based nanoemulsions, the release of lemongrass essential oil from nanoemulsions followed the Korsmeyer–Peppas kinetic model. Following five cycles of washing and heating, the retention of tragacanth gum-based nanoemulsion on cotton and polyester was determined as 62% and 46%, respectively. From an Excito chamber study, 64% of Aedes aegypti were successfully repelled from nanoemulsion-treated cotton, whereas 53% of the same mosquito species were repelled from nanoemulsion-treated polyester. Overall, results from this study are in line with the mosquito vector control initiative outlined by the World Health Organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Cotton cultivation spans over 30 million hectares across 85 countries and regions, with more than half participating in the global cotton textile trade. The elongated cotton fiber cell is an ideal model for studying cell elongation and understanding plant growth and development. Brassinosteroids (BRs), recognized for their role in cell elongation, offer the potential for improving cotton fiber quality and yield. Despite extensive research highlighting BR's positive impact on fiber development, a comprehensive review on this topic has been lacking. This review addresses this gap, providing a detailed analysis of the latest advancements in BR signaling and its effects on cotton fiber development. We explore the complex network of BR biosynthesis components, signaling molecules, and regulators, including crosstalk with other pathways and transcriptional control mechanisms. Additionally, we propose molecular strategies and highlight key genetic elements for optimizing BR‐related genes to enhance fiber quality and yield. The review emphasizes the importance of BR homeostasis and the hormonal landscape during cotton fiber development, offering insights into targeted manipulation opportunities and challenges. This consolidation offers a comprehensive understanding of BR's multifaceted roles in fiber development, outlining a strategic approach for BR optimization in cotton fiber quality and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea L. Gaud) is a versatile plant with potential as a cotton alternative in textiles. Its cellulose content, second only to cotton, requires degumming to remove fiber gum before industrial use. This study scaled up enzymatic degumming to 1 kg of ramie fiber, employing a dual enzyme approach: local Bacillus halodurans CM1 xylanase and commercial pectinase. This was optimized under varying conditions, including temperatures (30, 50, and 70 °C), durations (1, 2, and 3 h), and solid-liquid ratios (SLRs; 1:15, 1:22.5, 1:30), utilizing response surface methodology. Optimal outcomes were achieved at 50 °C and a 1:15 ratio, with a 3-h treatment duration, resulting in the highest reducing sugar yield (5.25 mg/mL) and a 102.03% enhancement in ramie fiber brightness compared to the enzyme-free control. This enzymatic process effectively separated gum from fibers while improving the quality, fineness, and tensile strength of cellulose fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise is an unwanted sound in urban areas. Natural and or recycled acoustic absorbing or insulation materials are invented to reduce air and or impact sounds in buildings. Yet, they are not widely and commercially available. This review presented an overview of relevant studies on natural materials particularly on cotton and rubber using Scopus search engine and of the patents registered and granted using Espacenet and Google Patents search engines on noise reduction in buildings from the years 1996 to 2023. The 18% and 68% (out of 32 articles) relevant articles, respectively, were written on cotton and rubber and other recycled natural material e.g., consumed teabags, rubber crumb, indicating a clear vision for experimentation and modeling of natural materials e.g., to investigate their sound absorption coefficients at lower frequencies (below 250 Hz) for (recycled) cotton sound absorbing materials and for producing ultralight density with high sound absorption materials (0.56) using recycled rubber material. There were found 31 patents registered and granted, in total. Natural materials, namely, cotton, rubber, glass wool and rock wool were applied in 29% of patents registered and granted from 1996 to 2022. Yet, 93% of patents registered and granted lacked data on sound absorption index of materials they invented. LDA models estimated 29% of Espacenet and Google Patents patents registered and granted having an increased trend of patent innovations for example, in method, structure and building materials in the last decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the synergistic influence of hybridizing titanium oxide (TiO2) filler on the mechanical properties and sliding wear behavior of epoxy composites reinforced with hairy cotton grass (HCG) fibres. The experimental results reveals that the combination with 9 wt‐% HCG/4 wt‐% titanium oxide observed better mechanical results (tensile‐51.03 MPa, flexural‐28.66 MPa, and impact energy‐3.1 J) whereas higher hardness (40.77 HV) achieved at 9 wt‐% hairy cotton grass/6 wt‐% titanium oxide composites. There is deterioration in mechanical results at higher titanium oxide (6 wt‐%) loading due to uneven distribution and particle agglomeration in hairy cotton grass‐epoxy composites. The design of expert was generated by using control parameters, sliding velocity (1 m ⋅ s−1–4 m ⋅ s−1), TiO2 content (0 wt‐%–6 wt‐%), and normal load (15 N–30 N) respectively. The optimization of the sliding wear rate was analysed by the Taguchi approach followed by an analysis of variance used for evaluating the significant of control parameters. The results showed a combination with significance sliding velocity of 1 ms−1 (78.15 %)>titanium oxide content of 6 wt‐% (20.28 %) >normal load of 30 N (1.57 %) exhibited an optimum value of specific wear rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Male sterility is an important agronomical trait in self‐pollinating plants for producing cost‐effective F1 hybrids to harness the heterosis. Still, large‐scale development and maintenance of male sterile lines and restoring fertility in F1 hybrids pose significant challenges in plant hybrid breeding. Cotton is a self‐pollinating crop and exhibits strong hybrid vigor. However, there are currently few breeding methods to achieve cost‐effective production of F1 hybrid cotton. Here, we utilized novel functions of the Arabidopsis autophagy‐related BECLIN1/ATG6 and a mutant of E3 ubiquitin ligase COP1 (COP1L105A) genes in developing rescuable male sterility in cotton. We have generated multiple male‐sterile (MS) and restorer (RS) cotton lines expressing BECLIN1 and COP1L105A, respectively. Cytological observation showed that post‐meiotic tapetal expression of BECLIN1 delays tapetum developmental programmed cell death (dPCD) by affecting reactive oxygen species (ROS) balance—this delay in dPCD results in early microspore defects and later small‐sized flowers with indehiscent anthers. Furthermore, the evaluation of F1 hybrids developed by crossing MS and RS lines showed that early tapetal COP1L105A expression abolishes expression of BECLIN1 resulting in normal tapetum degeneration, pollen development, and fertility. In addition, the F1 hybrid developed with MS and RS cotton lines in transgenic glass‐house and net‐house conditions showed the rescued fertility comparable with control plants (WT). In terms of cotton fiber productivity, the COP1L105A‐expressing transgenic cotton lines outperformed the WT. The current work effectively demonstrates the wider applicability of the new F1 cotton production system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several BINOL‐derived C2‐symmetric aldehydes were synthesized to investigate chiral self‐sorting phenomena during macrocycle formation in the presence of aliphatic and aromatic bisamines. While self‐sorting was unsuccessful with aliphatic amines, aromatic amine dictated complete homochiral self‐sorting, confirmed by 1H NMR analysis and molecular modelling. Additionally, the impact of macrocyclization on the chiroptical properties of these macrocycles was examined. The Cotton effects band red‐shifted for aromatic amines owing to extended conjugation. Notably, a substantial increase in specific rotation was observed upon macrocycle formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY TBL family proteins containing the domain of unknown function mainly act as xylan O‐acetyltransferases, but the specific molecular mechanism of their functions remains unclear in plants (especially in cotton) so far. In this study, we characterized the TBL family proteins containing the conserved GDS and DxxH motifs in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). Among them, GhTBL3 is highly expressed in fibers at the stage of secondary cell wall (SCW) formation and mainly functions as O‐acetyltransferase to maintain acetylation of xylan in fiber SCW development. Overexpression of GhTBL3 in cotton promoted fiber SCW formation, resulting in increased fiber cell wall thickness. In contrast, suppression of GhTBL3 expression in cotton impaired fiber SCW synthesis, leading to the decreased fiber cell wall thickness, compared with wild type (WT). Furthermore, two fiber SCW‐related transcription factors GhMYBL1 and GhKNL1 were found to directly bind to the promoter of GhTBL3 in cotton. GhMYBL1 enhanced the transcription activity of GhTBL3, whereas GhKNL1 inhibited the expression of GhTBL3 in fibers. The acetylation level of xylan was remarkably decreased in fibers of GhMYBL1 RNAi transgenic cotton, but the acetylation level of xylan was significantly increased in fibers of GhKNL1 RNAi cotton, relative to WT. Given together, the above results suggested that GhTBL3 may be under the dual control of GhMYBL1 and GhKNL1 to maintain the suitable acetylation level of xylan required for fiber SCW formation in cotton. Thus, our data provide an effective clue for potentially improving fiber quality by genetic manipulation of GhTBL3 in cotton breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization represents a significant challenge to the ecological environment in arid areas, and digital mapping of soil salinization as well as exploration of its spatial heterogeneity with crop growth have important implications for national food security and salinization management. However, the machine learning models currently used are deficient in mining local information on salinity and do not explore the spatial heterogeneity of salinity impacts on crops. This study developed soil salinization inversion models using CNN (Convolutional Neural Network), LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory Network), and RF (Random Forest) models based on 97 field samples and feature variables extracted from Landsat-8 imagery. By evaluating the accuracy, the best-performing model was selected to map soil salinity at a 30m resolution for the years 2013 and 2022, and to explore the relationship between soil electrical conductivity (EC) values and the expansion of cotton fields as well as their spatial correlation. The results indicate that:(1) The CNN performs best in prediction, with an R2 of 0.84 for the training set and 0.73 for the test set, capable of capturing more local salinity information. (2) The expansion of cotton fields has reduced the level of soil salinization, with the area of severely salinized and saline soils in newly added cotton fields decreasing from 177.91 km2 and 381.46 km2 to 19.49 km2 and 1.12 km2, respectively. (3) Regions with long-term cotton cultivation and newly reclaimed cotton fields exhibit high sensitivity and vulnerability to soil salinity. This study explores the excellent performance of deep learning in salinity mapping and visualizes the spatial distribution of cotton fields that are highly sensitive to soil salinity, providing a scientific theoretical basis for accurate salinity management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Length and strength are key parameters impacting the quality of textiles that can be produced from cotton fibers, and therefore are important considerations in cotton breeding. Through map‐based cloning and function analysis, we demonstrated that GhROPGEF5, encoding a ROP guanine nucleotide exchange factor, was the gene controlling fiber length and strength at qFSA10.1. Evolutionary analysis revealed that a base deletion in the third exon of GhROPGEF5 resulting in superior fiber length and strength was a rare mutation occurring in a tiny percentage of Upland cottons, with reduced fiber yield hindering its spread. GhROPGEF5 interacted with and activated GhROP10. Knockout or mutation of GhROPGEF5 resulted a loss of the ability to activate GhROP10. Knockout of GhROPGEF5 or GhROP10 affected the expression of many downstream genes associated with fiber elongation and secondary wall deposition, prolonged fiber elongation and delayed secondary wall deposition, producing denser fiber helices and increasing fiber length and strength. These results revealed new molecular aspects of fiber development and revealed a rare favorable allele for improving fiber quality in cotton breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Cotton stands as a pillar in the textile industry due to its superior natural fibers. Lignin, a complex polymer synthesized from phenylalanine and deposited in mature cotton fibers, is believed to be essential for fiber quality, although the precise effects remain largely unclear. In this study, we characterized two ubiquitously expressed cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenases (CAD), GhCAD37A and GhCAD37D (GhCAD37A/D), in Gossypium hirsutum. GhCAD37A/D possess CAD enzymatic activities, to catalyze the generation of monolignol products during lignin biosynthesis. Analysis of transgenic cotton knockout and overexpressing plants revealed that GhCAD37A/D are important regulators of fiber quality, positively impacting breaking strength but negatively affecting fiber length and elongation percentage by modulating lignin biosynthesis in fiber cells. Moreover, GhCAD37A/D are shown to modulate anther vitality and affect stem lodging trait in cotton by influencing lignin biosynthesis in the vascular bundles of anther and stem, respectively. Additionally, our study revealed that Ghcad37A/D knockout plants displayed red stem xylem, likely due to the overaccumulation of aldehyde intermediates in the phenylpropanoid metabolism pathway, as indicated by metabolomics analysis. Thus, our work illustrates that GhCAD37A/D are two important enzymes of lignin biosynthesis in different cotton organs, influencing fiber quality, anther vitality, and stem lodging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is important for the economy of any country, and India is considered to be an agricultural country. One of the primary goals of agriculture is to produce disease-free crops. Since ancient times, farmers and other planting specialists have had to contend with a variety of problems and current agricultural constraints, such as widespread cotton diseases. There is a great need for a rapid, efficient, economical, and reliable approach to diagnosing cotton infection in the agri-informatics area, as severe cotton disease may result in the loss of grain crops. This paper presents an advanced method that automates the detection and classification of diseased cotton leaves and plants through deep learning techniques applied to images. To address the challenge of supervised image classification, we employ a bagging ensemble technique consisting of five transfer learning models: InceptionV3, InceptionResNetV2, VGG16, MobileNet, and Xception. This ensemble approach was adopted to significantly improve the performance of each individual mode. The ETL-NET framework we introduced was thoroughly evaluated using two publicly accessible datasets. Specifically, it achieved an impressive accuracy rate of 99.48% and a sensitivity rate of 99% when applied to binary datasets. Additionally, on the multi-class dataset, the framework achieved an accuracy rate of 98.52% and a sensitivity rate of 99%. Our method outperformed the state-of-the-art techniques and displayed comparatively better results. Remarkably, our approach demonstrated even higher performance than widely used ensemble techniques, generally considered benchmarks in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within-sample variation in cotton fiber length is a major factor influencing the production and quality of yarns. The textile industry has been searching for approaches of improving the long fiber fraction and minimizing the short fiber fraction within a cotton sample to produce superior fiber and yarn quality. USTER® High Volume Instrument (HVI) has been widely used for a rapid assessment of cotton fiber length traits from a fiber bundle. However, its effectiveness for genetic studies has been questioned due to the indirect estimations of the cotton fiber traits that cannot be measured from a fiber bundle. To overcome the limits of the HVI fiber length traits, we utilized the Advanced Fiber Information System (AFIS) measuring fiber length traits directly from individual fibers based on weight or number. Comparative fiber length analyses showed AFIS provided higher sensitivity in detecting the fiber length variations within and among cotton samples than HVI. The weight-based AFIS length traits were strongly correlated with the corresponding HVI lengths, whereas the number-based AFIS mean length showed a relatively weaker correlation with the HVI lengths. Integrations of the weight based-length traits with genome-wide association studies (GWAS) enabled classifying the QTLs specifically associated with long, mean, or short fiber length traits and identified a false positive associated with the indirectly estimated HVI short fiber trait. Unlike the weight based-AFIS length traits, the number-based AFIS length trait did not show a negative correlation with a weight related-HVI property, and identified a single QTL that was not detected by the corresponding HVI trait. These results suggested that integrating the AFIS method with GWAS helped discoveries of the genome loci involved in the within-sample variation in cotton fiber length and characterizations of the fiber length QTLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flooding stress declines oxygen availability in roots that induce hypoxia stress in plants, thereby severely decline plant growth. Study was undertaken to clarify how potassium supplementation alleviates flooding stress in cotton plants. We applied potassium (K) fertilizer in pot soils at different levels; K0 = Control (No K), K1 = 30 mg kg−1, K2 = 60 mg kg−1 and K3 = 80 mg kg−1 with different duration of flooding stress s. D0 = Normal irrigation (0 day flooding), D1 = three days flooding, D2 = six days flooding, D3 = nine days flooding, D4 = twelve days flooding. The K supplementation (80 mg kg−1) in soil with 3-day flooding stress showed better combination for mitigating flooding stress. The supplementation of K3 dose (80 mg kg−1) alleviated flooding against 3-day initial flooding (D1) of which physiological traits showed better response compared to prolonged flooding stress (12-day flooding stress). The result suggests that K-involving flooding stress mitigation strategy in cotton plants was active for initial flooding stress (3-day flooding stress), while it was not fully active for pronged (upto 12-day flooding stress). Furthermore, we found K significantly improved antioxidant enzymes, photosynthetic performance, yield attributes, and lint quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth, productivity, and fiber quality of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), a vital fiber-producing cash crop, are severely affected under drought conditions. Seed priming has a proven role in enhancing crop tolerance to abiotic stress, including drought. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of seed priming with KNO3 on cotton productivity and fiber quality under drought stress. A germination experiment was established under laboratory conditions with five treatments of seed priming (non-primed or control treatment, hydropriming, and priming with 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 g KNO3 L−1). Another experiment under polyhouse conditions based on the same seed priming treatments was conducted under three levels of soil water contents (field capacity [FC] 100%: FC100, 75%: FC75, and 50%: FC50). The results obtained showed that there was a clear reduction in the different parameters tested at FC50 in comparison to FC100 (39–54%, 32–44%, 6–12%, and 7–12% reduction for boll number per plant, seed cotton yield, fiber strength, and leaf relative water content, respectively, across all priming treatments). Seed priming with KNO3 at 5 g L−1 effectively alleviated the detrimental effects originated from drought stress and caused 61–73%, 13–16%, and 16–23% increase in seed cotton yield, fiber length, and fiber strength, respectively, across soil moisture levels when compared with the control treatment. The same KNO3 dose caused an increase of 78% in water productivity in comparison to the control plants at FC50. Priming cotton seeds with 5 g KNO3 L−1 holds promise to obtain synchronized germination, enhance fiber quality, and increase yield, especially under water-limited conditions, thereby promoting economic viability and environmental sustainability. Additionally, this practice enhances water productivity, leading to significant water savings and reduced irrigation costs for cotton farmers. This method could be used as potential technology in advancing sustainable agriculture in water-constraint conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of biochar and organic acid on soil phosphorus effectiveness, plant accumulation phosphorus absorption, yield composition, and phosphorus equilibrium under different phosphorus fertilizer dosage conditions. Using the field test method, different phosphate fertilizer dosage treatments (0, 50, 100, 150 kg P2O5/ha) were set, and a control group, biochar (BC), and organic acid (OA) addition treatment were set up on this basis. During the experiment, the soil fast-acting phosphorus, accumulated phosphorus absorption, and cottonseed yield of cotton were measured, and the utilization of phosphorus fertilizer and phosphorus surplus were calculated. The results showed that the addition of biochar and organic acid significantly improved the soil phosphorus content, plant accumulation phosphorus absorption, cottonseed yield, and phosphate fertilizer utilization. In particular, in terms of plant accumulation of phosphorus absorption, cottonseed production and phosphate fertilizer utilization, biochar was better than organic acids, increasing by 10.2%, 0.29%, and 0.21%, respectively. Under the conditions of phosphorus fertilizer loss, the addition of biochar can effectively improve the effectiveness of phosphorus in soil and regulate the absorption and distribution of phosphorus in cotton, thus promoting the yield of cottonseed. In summary, the addition of biochar has important application potential in phosphorus management in cotton fields, which can provide a scientific basis for the sustainable development of cotton fields in Xinjiang. The results provide a reference for the rational use and management of phosphate fertilizer in cotton fields and promote the sustainable development of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evapotranspiration (ETc), crop water requirement (Dcr), irrigation (IR) and irrigation leaching amount (IRlc) play a critical role in optimizing irrigation scheduling and are also important for hydrological cycle processes and ecological environment in arid regions. This research examined the spatiotemporal variability of the ETc, Dcr and IR of cotton using data from 16 meteorological stations in the Tarim basin (TRB) of arid Northwest China during 1961–2017. The results showed that the mean annual ETc of cotton exhibited a significant decreasing trend, with a change rate of 12.965 mm·10 a−1 and 18.357 mm·10 a−1 during 1961–2017 and 1961–1990, respectively. Subsequently, it experienced a substantial increase with a change rate of 16.833 mm·10 a−1 after 1990. The Dcr of cotton followed a decreasing trend at a rate of 15.531 mm·10 a−1 and 21.99 mm·10 a−1 during 1961–2017 and 1961–1990, respectively. The Dcr of cotton provided an increasing trend at a rate of 20.164 mm·10 a−1 during 1991–2017. The IR of cotton followed a decreasing trend at a rate of 19.66 mm·10 a−1 in 1961–2017 and 24.531 mm·10 a−1 in 1961–1990, but an increasing trend at a rate of 14.437 mm·10 a−1 in 1991–2017. The IRlc of cotton decreased by 2.566 mm·10 a−1 and 3.663 mm·10 a−1 during 1961–2017 and 1961–1990, respectively. After 1990, it experienced a substantial increase by 3.331 mm·10 a−1. Wind speed exerted the greatest influence on the variability in Dcr and IR between 1961 and 1990, while shine hour played a more prominent role in explaining the variability in Dcr and precipitation may have played a more significant role in explaining the variability in IR. This study is helpful for the scientific planning for agriculture, water resource allocation and water-saving irrigation in arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbicide-coated fertilizers have the potential to provide lasting control of problematic weeds while simultaneously reducing the risk of injury to cotton, thus reducing yield penalties. Therefore, research was conducted in Fayetteville and Marianna, AR, to evaluate which herbicides coated on fertilizer provide lasting control of Palmer amaranth without increased risk of cotton injury. Eight herbicides were coated onto a blend of 196 kg ha-1 of urea and 112 kg ha-1 of muriate of potash and applied at the 6- to 8-leaf growth stage over the top of cotton. In Marianna, florpyrauxifen-benzyl provided the lowest control, which was 73% averaged over 14 and 28 d after treatment (DAT). The level of control provided by florpyrauxifen-benzyl did not differ from the other treatments in Fayetteville. While some herbicide treatments did have decreased control by 28 DAT, they were still effective, providing no less than 93% control. Palmer amaranth density differed among herbicides only in Marianna, where florpyrauxifen-benzyl-treated plots had a higher weed density. None of the herbicide treatments in either of the experiments caused any adverse effects on the crop as measured by visual injury, seedcotton yield, and crop groundcover. Most of the coated fertilizer treatments provided high levels of Palmer amaranth control and demonstrated the weed management potential of this herbicide application method. These results highlight the potential of implementing herbicides that are not labeled for over-the-top postemergence applications in cotton as coated fertilizers, as this method reduces the risk of injury and yield penalties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Cotton seed development and fiber elongation are the inseparable and overlapped development processes requiring the continuous supply of sucrose as the direct carbon source. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of how sucrose is transported from the source tissues (leaves) into growing cotton seeds. Here, we identify the function of a sucrose transporter gene, Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporter 10, GhSWEET10 in cotton seed development. GhSWEET10 encodes a functional sucrose transporter, predominantly expressing in the funiculus, inner seedcoat, and endosperm during fiber elongation. GhSWEET10 RNAi plants (GhSWEET10i) accumulated less sucrose and glucose in growing seeds and that led to shorter fibers and smaller seeds, whereas GhSWEET10 overexpressed plants (GhSWEET10OE) had bigger seeds and longer fibers with more sugar accumulation during fiber elongation. GhSWEET10 gene is transcriptionally controlled by the transcription factor GhDOFD45. GhDOFD45 knockout plants (GhDOFD45‐KO) possessed the phenotypes of smaller seeds and shorter fibers like those of GhSWEET10i plants. Furthermore, GhSWEET10 mainly exports the sucrose from the funiculus into developing seeds according to the mimic‐analysis of sucrose transporting. Collectively, all these findings show that GhDOFD45 positively regulates GhSWEET10 expression to mainly transport sucrose from leaves into developing cotton seeds. Our findings also imply that the sucrose transport into enlarging seeds benefits fiber development, and thus GhSWEET10 can be selected as a target of breeding novel cotton varieties with larger and more vigorous seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Verticillium dahliae causes a serious decline in cotton yield and quality, posing a serious threat to the cotton industry. However, the mechanism of resistance to V. dahliae in cotton is still unclear, which limits the breeding of resistant cultivars. Methods: To analyze the defense mechanisms of cotton in response to V. dahliae infection, we compared the defense responses of two upland cotton cultivars from Xinjiang (JK1775, resistant; Z8,susceptible) using transcriptome sequencing at different infection stages. Results: The results revealed a significant differential expression of genes in the two cotton cultivars post V. dahliae infection, with the number of DEGs in JK1775 being higher than that in Z8 at different infection stages of V. dahliae. Interestingly, the DEGs of both JK1775 and Z8 were enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway in the early and late stages of infection. Importantly, the upregulated DEGs in both cultivars were significantly enriched in all stages of the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway. Some of these DEGs were involved in the regulation of lignin and coumarin biosynthesis, which may be one of the key factors contributing to the resistance of upland cotton cultivars to V. dahliae in Xinjiang. Lignin staining experiments further showed that the lignin content increased in both resistant and susceptible varieties after inoculation with V. dahliae. Discussion: This study not only provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of resistance to Verticillium wilt in Xinjiang upland cotton but also offers important candidate gene resources for molecular breeding of resistance to Verticillium wilt in cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivated cotton plants are the world's largest source of natural fibre, where yield and quality are key traits for this renewable and biodegradable commodity. The Gossypium hirsutum cotton genome contains ~80K protein-coding genes, making precision breeding of complex traits a challenge. This study tested approaches to improving the genomic prediction (GP) accuracy of valuable cotton fibre traits to help accelerate precision breeding. With a biology-informed basis, a novel approach was tested for improving GP for key cotton fibre traits with transcriptomics of key time points during fibre development, namely, fibre cells undergoing primary, transition, and secondary wall development. Three test approaches included weighting of SNPs in DE genes overall, in target DE gene lists informed by gene annotation, and in a novel approach of gene co-expression network (GCN) clusters created with partial correlation and information theory (PCIT) as the prior information in GP models. The GCN clusters were nucleated with known genes for fibre biomechanics, i.e., fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins, and cluster size effects were evaluated. The most promising improvements in GP accuracy were achieved by using GCN clusters for cotton fibre elongation by 4.6%, and strength by 4.7%, where cluster sizes of two and three neighbours proved most effective. Furthermore, the improvements in GP were due to only a small number of SNPs, in the order of 30 per trait using the GCN cluster approach. Non-trait-specific biological time points, and genes, were found to have neutral effects, or even reduced GP accuracy for certain traits. As the GCN clusters were generated based on known genes for fibre biomechanics, additional candidate genes were identified for fibre elongation and strength. These results demonstrate that GCN clusters make a specific and unique contribution in improving the GP of cotton fibre traits. The findings also indicate that there is room for incorporating biology-based GCNs into GP models of genomic selection pipelines for cotton breeding to help improve precision breeding of target traits. The PCIT-GCN cluster approach may also hold potential application in other crops and trees for enhancing breeding of complex traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Domestication has dramatically increased crop size and biomass, reflecting the enhanced accumulation of photosynthates. However, we still lack solid empirical data on the impacts of domestication on photosynthetic rates at different light intensities and on leaf anatomy, and of the relationships of photosynthesis with aboveground biomass. In this study, we measured the photosynthetic rate at three photosynthetic photon flux densities of 2000 (high), 1000 (moderate) and 400 μmol m−2 sec−1 (low light intensity), dark respiration, relative chlorophyll content (SPAD), leaf morphology, and aboveground biomass in 40 wild, 91 semiwild, and 42 domesticated cotton genotypes. The study was replicated for two years (growing years 2018 and 2019). During the first domestication stage (transition from wild to semiwild genotypes), domestication led to higher photosynthetic rates measured under high light intensity, higher SPAD, larger leaf area (LA), and lower leaf mass per unit area (LMA), contributing to greater aboveground biomass accumulation in both study years. During the second domestication stage (transition from semiwild to domesticated genotypes), domestication significantly enhanced photosynthesis under low light intensity and reduced LMA, which were associated with increased aboveground biomass in both study years. In conclusion, photosynthesis improvement at different light intensities has been a gradual domestication phase specific process with the rate of photosynthesis enhanced under high light during the first domestication stage, and under low light during the second domestication stage. We argue that these differences reflect a higher proportion of LA photosynthesizing under low light due to enhanced canopy expansion at the second domestication stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought poses a significant challenge to global crop productivity, necessitating innovative approaches to bolster plant resilience. Leveraging transgenic technology to bolster drought tolerance in crops emerges as a promising strategy for addressing the demands of a rapidly growing global populace. AtZAT10/STZ1, a C2H2-type zinc finger protein transcription factor has shown to significantly improve Arabidopsis' tolerance to various abiotic stresses. In this study, we reports that AtSTZ1 confers notable drought resistance in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), amplifying cotton fiber yield under varying conditions, including irrigated and water-limited environments, in field trials. Notably, AtSTZ1-overexpressing transgenic cotton showcases enhanced drought resilience across critical growth stages, including seed germination, seedling establishment, and reproductive phases. Morphological analysis reveals an expanded root system characterized by an elongated taproot system, increased lateral roots, augmented root biomass, and enlarged cell dimensions from transgenic cotton plants. Additionally, higher contents of proline, chlorophyll, soluble sugars, and enhanced ROS-scavenging enzyme activities are observed in leaves of transgenic plants subjected to drought, underscoring improved physiological adaptations. Furthermore, transgenic lines exhibit heightened photosynthetic rate, increased water use efficiency, and larger stomatal and epidermal cell sizes, coupled with a decline in leaf stomatal conductance and density, as well as diminished transpiration rates compared to the wild type counterparts. Transcriptome profiling unveils 106 differentially expressed genes in transgenic cotton leaves post-drought treatment, including protein kinases, transcription factors, aquaporins, and heat shock proteins, indicative of an orchestrated stress response. Collectively, these findings underscore the capacity of AtSTZ1 to augment the expression of abiotic stressrelated genes in cotton following drought conditions, thus presenting a compelling candidate for genetic manipulation aimed at enhancing crop resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton is often threatened by Verticillium wilt caused by V. dahliae. Understanding the molecular mechanism of V. dahlia–cotton interaction is important for the prevention of this disease. To analyze the transcriptome profiles in V. dahliae and cotton simultaneously, the strongly pathogenic strain Vd592 was inoculated into cotton, and the infected cotton roots at 36 h and 3 d post infection were subjected to dual RNA-seq analysis. For the V. dahliae, transcriptomic analysis identified 317 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) encoding classical secreted proteins, which were up-regulated at least at one time point during infection. The 317 DEGs included 126 carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) and 108 small cysteine-rich protein genes. A pectinesterase gene (VDAG_01782) belonging to CAZyme, designated as VdPE1, was selected for functional validation. VdPE1 silencing by HIGS (host-induced gene silencing) resulted in reduced disease symptoms and the increased resistance of cotton to V. dahliae. For the cotton, transcriptomic analysis found that many DEGs involved in well-known disease resistance pathways (flavonoid biosynthesis, plant hormone signaling, and plant–pathogen interaction) as well as PTI (pattern-triggered immunity) and ETI (effector-triggered immunity) processes were significantly down-regulated in infected cotton roots. The dual RNA-seq data thus potentially connected the genes encoding secreted proteins to the pathogenicity of V. dahliae, and the genes were involved in some disease resistance pathways and PTI and ETI processes for the susceptibility of cotton to V. dahliae. These findings are helpful in the further characterization of candidate genes and breeding resistant cotton varieties via genetic engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cotton seeds are the main byproduct of cotton crops. The phenomenon of plants failing to develop mature and full seeds is called seed embryo abortion, which leads to a decrease in seed yield and potentially causes economic losses. Methods: We report a phenotypic evaluation of seed embryos from G. hirsutum mutant (xin w 139) and wild-type (Xin W 139) lines and a comparative RNA-seq study at four developmental stages. Results: The field results from two years showed that the sterility rate and malformation rate of xin w 139 were significantly lower than those of Xin W 139, and the RNA-seq data revealed that the differences in the development of the seed embryos of the two lines mainly occurred after 20 days post anthesis (DPA). Differential analysis revealed a total of 29,151 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 2696 transcription factors (TFs), between the two lines, in which the fatty acid and glucose metabolism-related pathways were significantly enriched. These DEGs were divided into 8 clusters, with the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways of each cluster being annotated. Furthermore, a gene regulatory network was built using weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), revealing 9 key genes that play crucial roles in shaping the developmental disparities of seed embryos between the two lines, among which 3 are TFs. Conclusions: These findings offer a foundational framework for comprehending the molecular mechanisms underlying cottonseed embryo development, as well as presenting novel genetic reservoirs for further investigations into cottonseed embryo development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Our study comprehensively performed genome-wide analyses of the oxidative stress 3 gene family in four representative Gossypium species, including identifications of family members, evolutionary relationships, structural features, chromosomal locations, collinearity, cis-acting elements, and expression patterns. Furthermore, the potential functions of cotton OXS3 genes against multiple abiotic stresses were verified. These findings offer valuable insights for use in molecular breeding aimed at cotton germplasm innovation or genetic improvement. Oxidative Stress 3 (OXS3) encodes a plant-specific protein that makes great contributions to a plant's stress tolerance. However, reports on genome-wide identification and expression pattern analyses of OXS3 were only found for Arabidopsis, wheat, and rice. The genus Gossypium (cotton) serves as an ideal model for studying allopolyploidy. Therefore, two diploid species (G. raimondii and G. arboreum) and two tetraploid species (G. hirsutum and G. barbadense) were chosen in this study for a bioinformatics analysis, resulting in 12, 12, 22, and 23 OXS3 members, respectively. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using 69 cotton OXS3 genes alongside 8 Arabidopsis, 10 rice, and 9 wheat genes, which were classified into three groups (Group 1–3). A consistent evolutionary relationship with the phylogenetic tree was observed in our structural analysis of the cotton OXS3 genes and the clustering of six conserved motifs. Gene duplication analysis across the four representative Gossypium species suggested that whole-genome duplication, segmental duplication, and tandem duplication might play significant roles in the expansion of the OXS3 gene family. Some existing elements responsive to salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and abscisic acid (ABA) were identified by cis-regulatory element analysis in the promoter regions, which could influence the expression levels of cotton OXS3 genes. Furthermore, the expression patterns of the GhOXS3 gene were examined in different tissues or organs, as well as in developing ovules and fibers, with the highest expression observed in ovules. GhOXS3 genes exhibited a more pronounced regulatory response to abiotic stresses, of which ten GhOXS3 genes showed similar expression patterns under cold, heat, salt, and drought treatments. These observations were verified by quantitative real-time PCR experiments. These findings enhance our understanding of the evolutionary relationships and expression patterns of the OXS3 gene family and provide valuable insights for the identification of vital candidate genes for trait improvement in cotton breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased output per unit area is the main goal of cotton producers worldwide, and the determination of biomass for high-yield cotton production is most important index. Cotton plants were grown at five densities (2.25, 3.0, 3.75, 4.5, and 5.25 × 104 plants ha−1). The relationships between the lint yield, construction of vegetative and reproductive organs and the population biomass were investigated. The results indicated that the maximum lint yield could be obtained at an appropriate population biomass before peak flowering and that the maximum lint yield increased with the biomass after peak flowering. When a lint yield above 1875.0 kg ha−1 was achieved, the biomass was at 657.0, 2317.3 and 5398.0 kg ha−1 for peak squaring, early flowering and peak flowering, respectively, whereas it surpassed 11,977.4 kg ha−1 and 15,365.8 kg ha−1 for the biomass at peak boll-setting and during the boll open period, respectively. This study indicated that moderate biomass accumulation before peak flowering and higher population biomass accumulation after peak flowering could achieve high lint yield because of the construction of optimum plant height, maximum and suitable LAI, maximum fruiting branches and boll weight before peak flowering, the highest effective fruiting node number and the population boll number after peak flowering. The results suggest that agronomic measurements could be implemented according to population biomass dynamics of high yield during the main growth stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton fiber length is basically determined by well‐coordinated gene expression and phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs) accumulation during fiber elongation but the regulatory mechanism governing PIPs transport remains unknown. Here, we report a MYB transcription factor GhMYB30D04 in Gossypium hirsutum that promotes fiber elongation through modulating the expression of PIP transporter gene GhLTPG1. Knockout of GhMYB30D04 gene in cotton (KO) results in a reduction of GhLTPG1 transcripts with lower accumulation of PIPs, leading to shorter fibers and lower fiber yield. Conversely, GhMYB30D04 overexpression (GhMYB30D04‐OE) causes richer PIPs and longer cotton fibers, mimicking the effects of exogenously applying PIPs on the ovules of GhMYB30D04‐KO and wild type. Furthermore, GhMYB30D04 interacts with GhHD1, the crucial transcription factor of fiber initiation, to form an activation complex stabilized by PIPs, both of which upregulate GhLTPG1 expression. Comparative omics‐analysis revealed that higher and extended expressions of LTPG1 in fiber elongation mainly correlate with the variations of the GhMYB30D04 gene between two cotton allotetraploids, contributing to longer fiber in G. babardense. Our work clarifies a mechanism by which GhHD1–GhMYB30D04 form a regulatory module of fiber elongation to tightly control PIP accumulation. Our work still has an implication that GhMYB30D04–GhHD1 associates with development transition from fiber initiation to elongation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the impact of different varieties and planting densities on the transpiration rate of cotton in Xinjiang, a field experiment was conducted in 2022 in Wulanwusu, Xinjiang. Three cotton varieties (' Zhongmian 979' ' Zhongmian 703' and 'Guoxin cotton' ) and two planting densities (D1:22 plants·m−2 ; D2:11 plants·m−2 ) were establish for treatment. The transpiration rate was measured using a heat ratio stem flow meter, and the differences in daily average transpiration, daily transpiration change, and cumulative transpiration of cotton under different weather conditions (sunny, rainy) and time scales were compared to clarify the water consumption rules of cotton under different varieties and densities in northern Xinjiang. The results showed that: (1) planting density had a significant impact on the cumulative and daily transpiration rates of cotton population. The cumulative and daily transpiration rates of cotton increased significantly under D1 planting density. Under D1 planting density treatment, the cumulative and daily transpiration rates of three varieties were significantly higher than those under D2 planting density treatment (an average increase of 51.2%). (2) Cotton varieties had a significant impact on individual and group transpiration, with' Zhongmian 703' higher stem flow rate, daily transpiration rate, and cumulative transpiration than other varieties. (3) The transpiration of a single cotton plant showed a "几" shaped variation pattern on a daily scale. During the day (9: 00−21: 00), the transpiration was relatively stable, but there was still a slight stem flow at night due to root pressure. (4) The transpiration rate and amount of cotton decreased month by month from July to September. The daily transpiration curve of cotton in September gradually transitioned to a unimodal pattern, and the daytime transpiration starts later (10: 00) and ends earlier (20：00). (5) Accumulated transpiration had a positive correlation with both seed cotton yield and average leaf area, but it was not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The node of the first fruiting branch (NFFB) is a credible morphological indicator for the identification of early maturity in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). In this study, a large F2 population resulting from a cross between genotypes 'XSK28' (early-maturity) and 'TM-1' (late-maturity) was constructed to identify candidate genes for the NFFB in upland cotton by bulked segregant analysis (BSA) and Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) genotyping. A total of 2,120,783 high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphisms were detected between two parents and between two DNA pools. By BSA technology, a candidate region of 7.2-Mb on chromosome A09 was identified as the target QTL region for the NFFB. Subsequently, QTL mapping and t-test based on KASP genotyping narrowed the QTL region to 260 kb, containing 20 functionally annotated genes. The quantitative reverse transcription PCR results showed the expression levels of two candidate genes, namely Gh_A09G087700 and Gh_A09G087800, in the early-maturity parent 'XSK28' were significantly lower than in the late-maturity parent 'TM-1' at all three stages of flower bud growth. These two genes may be involved in regulating the formation of the NFFB and can be regarded as promising candidate genes. The study provids valuable information for further revealing the molecular mechanism of the NFFB and marker-assisted selection breeding of cotton early maturity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syntaxin of plant (SYP) plays a crucial role in SNARE‐mediated membrane trafficking during endocytic and secretory pathways, contributing to the regulation and execution of plant immunity against pathogens. Verticillium wilt is among the most destructive fungal diseases affecting cotton worldwide. However, information regarding SYP family genes in cotton is scarce. Through genome‐wide identification and transcriptome profiling, we identified GhSYP121, a Qa SNARE gene in Gossypium hirsutum. GhSYP121 is notably induced by Verticillium dahliae, the causal agent of Verticillium wilt in cotton, and acts as a negative regulator of defense against V. dahliae. This is evidenced by the reduced resistance of GhSYP121‐deficient cotton and the increased susceptibility of GhSYP121‐overexpressing lines. Furthermore, the activation of the salicylic acid (SA) pathway by V. dahliae is inversely correlated with the expression level of GhSYP121. GhSYP121 interacts with its cognate SNARE component, GhSNAP33, which is required for the penetration resistance against V. dahliae in cotton. Collectively, GhSYP121, as a member of the cotton SNARE complex, is involved in regulating the SA pathway during plant defense against V. dahliae. This finding enhances our understanding of the potential role of GhSYP121 in these distinct pathways that contribute to plant defense against V. dahliae infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is a vital global source of renewable fiber and ranks among the world's most important cash crops. While extensive nuclear genomic data of Gossypium has been explored, the organellar genomic resources of allotetraploid cotton, remain largely untapped at the population level. The plastid genome (plastome) is well suited for studying plant species relationships and diversity due to its nonrecombinant uniparental inheritance. Here, we conducted de novo assembly of 336 Gossypium plastomes, mainly from domesticated cultivars, and generated a pan‐plastome level resource for population structure and genetic diversity analyses. The assembled plastomes exhibited a typical quadripartite structure and varied in length from 160 103 to 160 597 bp. At the species level, seven allotetraploid species were resolved into three clades, where Gossypium tomentosum and Gossypium mustelinum formed an early diverging clade rooted by diploids, followed by splitting two sister clades of Gossypium darwinii–Gossypium barbadense and Gossypium hirsutum–Gossypium ekmanianum–Gossypium stephensii. Within the G. hirsutum clade the resolution of cultivated accessions was less polyphyletic with landrace and wild accessions than in G. barbadense suggesting some selection on plastome in the domestication of this adaptable species of cotton. The nucleotide diversity of G. hirsutum was higher than that of G. barbadense. We specifically compared the plastomes of G. hirsutum and G. barbadense to find mutational hotspots within each species as potential molecular markers. These findings contribute a valuable resource for exploring cotton evolution as well as in the breeding of new cotton cultivars and the preservation of wild and cultivated germplasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]