IDENTIFICATION OF DROUGHT-RESISTANT COTTON SAMPLES AND THEIR APPLICATION IN THE MAS PROGRAM
Keywords:
Cotton, drought, water deficit, biometric analysis, root system, MAS, SSR markers.Abstract
In this study, the drought tolerance of 9 local cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) varieties was assessed based on morphological and biometric parameters. During the experiment, normal (50 ml) and water deficit (25 ml) conditions were established, and growth and physiological traits, including shoot length, root length, leaf weight dynamics, water transpiration and re-uptake capacity, as well as stem and root system development, were analyzed. Water stress significantly affected shoot length, root length, relative water content of leaves, and the dynamics of transpiration and re-uptake. Percentage changes relative to the control were calculated, and promising varieties were recommended for inclusion in the marker-assisted selection (MAS) program.








