Recent publications have highlighted the development of an alternate cotton-peanut intercropping as a novel strategy to enhance agricultural productivity. In this article, we provide an overview of the progress made in the alternate cotton-peanut intercropping, specifically focusing on its yield benefits, environmental impacts, and the underlying mechanisms. In addition, we advocate for future investigations into the selection or development of appropriate crop varieties and agricultural equipment, pest management options, and the mechanisms of root-canopy interactions. This review is intended to provide a valuable reference for understanding and adopting an alternate intercropping system for sustainable cotton production.

Background Light is a critical factor in plant growth and development, particularly in controlled environments. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have become a reliable alternative to conventional high pressure sodium (HSP) lamps because they are more efficient and versatile in light sources. In contrast to well-known specialized LED light spectra for vegetables, the appropriate LED lights for crops such as cotton remain unknown.
Results In this growth chamber study, we selected and compared four LED lights with varying percentages (26.44%-68.68%) of red light (R, 600-700 nm), combined with other lights, for their effects on growth, leaf anatomy, and photosynthesis of cotton seedlings, using HSP lamp as a control. The total photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) was (215 ± 2) μmol·m^-2·s^-1 for all LEDs and HSP lamp. The results showed significant differences in all tested parameters among lights, and the percentage of far red (FR, 701-780 nm) within the range of 3.03%-11.86% was positively correlated with plant growth (characterized by leaf number and area, plant height, stem diameter, and total biomass), palisade layer thickness, photosynthesis rate (P_n), and stomatal conductance (G_s). The ratio of R/FR (4.445-11.497) negatively influenced the growth of cotton seedlings, and blue light (B) suppressed stem elongation but increased palisade cell length, chlorophyll content, and P_n.
Conclusion The LED 2 was superior to other LED lights and HSP lamp. It had the highest ratio of FR within the total PPFD (11.86%) and the lowest ratio of R/FR (4.445). LED 2 may therefore be used to replace HPS lamp under controlled environments for the study of cotton at the seedling stage.

Background Water deficit is an important problem in agricultural production in arid regions. With the advent of wholly mechanized technology for cotton planting in Xinjiang, it is important to determine which planting mode could achieve high yield, fiber quality and water use efficiency (WUE). This study aimed to explore if chemical topping affected cotton yield, quality and water use in relation to row configuration and plant densities.
Results Experiments were carried out in Xinjiang China, in 2020 and 2021 with two topping method, manual topping and chemical topping, two plant densities, low and high, and two row configurations, i.e., 76 cm equal rows and 10+66 cm narrow-wide rows, which were commonly applied in matching harvest machine. Chemical topping increased seed cotton yield, but did not affect cotton fiber quality comparing to traditional manual topping. Under equal row spacing, the WUE in higher density was 62.4% higher than in the lower one. However, under narrow-wide row spacing, the WUE in lower density was 53.3% higher than in higher one (farmers’ practice). For machine-harvest cotton in Xinjiang, the optimal row configuration and plant density for chemical topping was narrow-wide rows with 15 plants m^-2 or equal rows with 18 plants m^-2.
Conclusion： The plant density recommended in narrow-wide rows was less than farmers’ practice and the density in equal rows was moderate with local practice. Our results provide new knowledge on optimizing agronomic managements of machine-harvested cotton for both high yield and water efficient.

Background Natural and synthetic plant growth regulators are essential for plant health, likewise these regulators also play a role in increasing organic production productivity and improving quality and yield stability. In the present study, we have evaluated the effects of foliar applied plant growth regulators, i.e., moringa leaf extract (MLE) and mepiquat chloride (MC) alone and in combination MC and MLE on the conventional cotton cultivar (CIM 573) and transgenic one (CIM 598). The growth regulators were applied at the start of bloom, 45 and 90 days after blooming.
Results The application of MC and MLE at 90 days after blooming significantly improved the relative growth rate, net assimilation rate, the number of bolls per plant, and seed cotton yield. Likewise, the combined application of MLE and MC at 90 days after blooming significantly boosted the nitrogen uptake in locules, as well as the phosphorus and potassium uptake in the leaves of both cotton cultivars. The application of MLE alone has considerably improved the nitrogen uptake in leaves, and phosphorus and potassium contents in locules of Bt and conventional cotton cultivars. Similarly, Bt cotton treated with MLE at 90 days after blooming produced significantly higher ginning out turn and oil contents. Treatment in combination (MLE + MC) at 90 days after blooming produced considerably higher micronaire value, fiber strength, and staple length in conventional cultivar.
Conclusion The natural growth enhancer, MLE is a rich source of minerals and zeatin, improving the nutrient absorption and quality of cotton fiber in both conventional and Bt cotton cultivars.

Background Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), adapted to tropical and subtropical regions of the world, is highly sensitive to low temperatures throughout its life cycle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the mitigating effects of different doses of animal-derived (0.25%, 0.50%, and 1.00% Isabion® ), seaweed-based (0.165%, 0.330%, and 0.660% Proton®) biostimulants, as well as a copper (Cu)-containing fungicide application, on cotton cultivar Lazer seedlings at the four true leaves (V4) stage. The plants were exposed to a low temperature of 5 °C for 48 h, and the changes in morphological (seedling fresh and dry weight, plant height, and stem diameter) and physiological parameters (leaf temperature, chlorophyll content, relative water content, electrolyte leakage, and relative injury) were examined.
Results The results revealed that chilling stress reduced plant growth, while biostimulants helped protect the plants and overcome the adverse effects of chilling. Under chilling stress, there was a considerable reduction in seedling fresh weight (SFW), seedling dry weight (SDW), plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), leaf temperature (LT), and relative water content (RWC). Cotton seedlings treated with the animal-derived biostimulants showed significantly enhanced SFW, SDW, PH, SD, LT, chlorophyll content (Chl), electrolyte leakage (EL), and relative injury (RI), although there were no positive changes in RWC. No significant differences in the morphological traits were observed among the doses of seaweed biostimulants. For SDW, PH, EL, and RI, the best results were obtained with the application of a fungicide containing copper.
Conclusion These results show the efficiency of the biostimulant and fungicide treatments in mitigating low-temperature stress in cotton seedlings. Applying a copper-containing fungicide to cotton seedlings helped to counteract the negative effects of low-temperature stress and to protect the plants from damage by maintaining electrolyte balance. Among the biostimulant applications, all levels of animal-derived biostimulant applications, as well as the 0.660% level of the seaweed-derived biostimulant, led to increased tolerance of cotton plants to chilling stress.

Lessons learned from past experiences push for an alternate way of crop production. In India, adopting high density planting system (HDPS) to boost cotton yield is becoming a growing trend. HDPS has recently been considered a replacement for the current Indian production system. It is also suitable for mechanical harvesting, which reducing labour costs, increasing input use efficiency, timely harvesting timely, maintaining cotton quality, and offering the potential to increase productivity and profitability. This technology has become widespread in globally cotton growing regions. Water management is critical for the success of high density cotton planting. Due to the problem of freshwater availability, more crops should be produced per drop of water. In the high-density planting system, optimum water application is essential to control excessive vegetative growth and improve the translocation of photoassimilates to reproductive organs. Deficit irrigation is a tool to save water without compromising yield. At the same time, it consumes less water than the normal evapotranspiration of crops. This review comprehensively documents the importance of growing cotton under a high-density planting system with deficit irrigation. Based on the current research and combined with cotton production reality, this review discusses the application and future development of deficit irrigation, which may provide theoretical guidance for the sustainable advancement of cotton planting systems.

Machine picking in cotton is an emerging practice in India, to solve the problems of labour shortages and production costs increasing. Cotton production has been declining in recent years; however, the high density planting system (HDPS) offers a viable method to enhance productivity by increasing plant populations per unit area, optimizing resource utilization, and facilitating machine picking. Cotton is an indeterminate plant that produce excessive vegetative growth in favorable soil fertility and moisture conditions, which posing challenges for efficient machine picking. To address this issue, the application of plant growth retardants (PGRs) is essential for controlling canopy architecture. PGRs reduce internode elongation, promote regulated branching, and increase plant compactness, making cotton plants better suited for machine picking. PGRs application also optimizes photosynthates distribution between vegetative and reproductive growth, resulting in higher yields and improved fibre quality. The integration of HDPS and PGRs applications results in an optimal plant architecture for improving machine picking efficiency. However, the success of this integration is determined by some factors, including cotton variety, environmental conditions, and geographical variations. These approaches not only address yield stagnation and labour shortages but also help to establish more effective and sustainable cotton farming practices, resulting in higher cotton productivity.

Cotton, a crucial commercial fibre crop, depends heavily on seed-associated characteristics like germination rate, vigour, and resistance to post-harvest deterioration for both production and lint quality. Serious cellular damage during post-harvest processes such as delinting, prolonged seedling emergence periods, decreased viability, increased susceptibility to infections, and lipid peroxidation during storage pose serious problems to seed quality. The performance of seeds and total crop productivity are adversely affected by these problems. Traditional methods of seed improvement, like physical scarification and seed priming, have demonstrated promise in raising cotton seed vigour and germination rates. Furthermore, modern approaches including plasma therapies, magnetic water treatments, and nanotechnology-based treatments have shown promise in improving seed quality and reducing environmental stresses. By offering sustainable substitutes for conventional approaches, these cutting-edge procedures lessen the need for fungicides and other agrochemicals that pollute the environment. This review explores various conventional and emerging strategies to address the detrimental factors impacting cotton seed quality. It emphasizes the importance of integrating classical and advanced approaches to enhance germination, ensure robust crop establishment, and achieve higher yields. In addition to promoting sustainable cotton production, this kind of integration helps preserve the ecosystem and create resilient farming methods.

Premature senescence in Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton has emerged as a significant challenge to the formation and realization of fiber yield and quality since its commercialization in 1997. Initially, premature senescence was thought to be an inherent trait associated with the Bt gene. However, subsequent research and practice have demonstrated that it is not directly linked to the Bt gene but rather results from a physiological imbalance between the sink and source, as well as between the root and shoot in Bt cotton. This short review provides an overview of the causes, mechanisms, and control measures for premature senescence in Bt cotton. It offers valuable insights for future research and the sustainable application of transgenic crops.

Background Zinc (Zn), being the most deficient micronutrient, can largely limit plant growth and development on alkaline calcareous soil. Crop species and varieties within species differently require Zn for optimum productivity. The current study aimed to optimize Zn level and mode of application for better growth, yield, and fiber quality of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). The experimental plan comprised a control group with no Zn application, three Zn levels through soil application, i.e. 5 mg·kg^-1 (SZn5), 10 mg·kg^-1 (SZn10), and 15 mg·kg^-1 (SZn15), two levels of foliar application including 0.5% (FZn0.5) and 1% (FZn1) Zn solution, and various combinations of soil plus foliar application. Two cotton cultivars, CIM-663 (Bt) and Cyto-124 (non-Bt) were used, and each treatment was replicated thrice.
Results Zinc nutrition caused a significant (P ≤ 0.05) improvement in growth, yield, physiological, and fiber quality characteristics of both cotton cultivars. All levels and modes of Zn application were found effective in improving cotton productivity on alkaline calcareous soil. However, integrated soil application and foliar spray showed superiority over sole soil or foliar application. Among different treatments, SZn15 + FZn1 caused the highest improvement in most of the observed growth and yield traits. The said treatment maximally increased the leaf Zn concentration by 270.5% and 218.4% with a subsequent increase in plant height 23.2% and 28.0%, monopodial branches 40.7% and 42.1%, sympodial branches 37.2% and 35.2%, seed cotton yield 32.5% and 36.6%, and lint yield 30.0% and 34.6% in CIM-663 and Cyto-124, respectively, compared with the control. SZn15 + FZn1 also caused the highest increase in relative water contents 32.6% and 22.4%, chlorophyll contents 92.0% and 67.1%, and stomatal conductance 112.8% and 100.8% in CIM-663 and Cyto-124, respectively, compared with the control. Among the fiber quality characteristics, fiber fineness was maximally improved by 19.7% and 15.9% in CIM-663 and Cyto-124, respectively, with SZn15 + FZn1 compared with the control. Leaf Zn concentration was positively correlated with fiber length (R² = 0.717 3), fiber strength (R² = 0.548 3), and fiber fineness (R² = 0.637 9) of both cotton cultivars grown with different levels and application modes of Zn. The benefit-cost ratio was remarkably improved with Zn nutrition, and the highest value of 1.64 was found in CIM-663 at SZn10 + FZn1 and SZn15 + FZn1.
Conclusion The plant growth, physiological, yield, and fiber quality characteristics of cotton cultivars were significantly improved with Zn supply at different levels and modes of application. SZn15 + FZN1 could be recommended to get optimum seed cotton yield and fiber quality of cotton on alkaline calcareous soil.

Background The mulch-free subsurface drip irrigation system demonstrated water-saving potential as an alternative to traditional mulch-based drip irrigation while also eliminating residual film pollution at source. However, delayed sowing is unavoidable in mulch-free cultivation in ecological regions with a short frost-free period. Intercropping with cumin, which has a shorter growth period, served as an effective strategy to improve land use efficiency during the early growth stages of cotton. Therefore, a two-year field experiment was conducted to study the effects of intercropping cumin at the seeding rate of 2.5 (ID1), 3.85 (ID2), and 5.2 (ID3) kg·hm^-2 on cotton growth, interspecies competition, fiber quality, and water use efficiency (WUE), as well as system economic benefits under subsurface drip irrigation. Monocropping cotton was used as the control (CK) treatment.
Results At the initial flowering (IF) stage (the end of the co-growth period of cotton and cumin), cotton plant height in ID2 and ID3 treatments decreased by 5.93%-16.53% and 10.87%-31.11%, respectively, cotton stem diameter by 11.41%-14.25% and 3.37%-26.49%, respectively, and vegetative biomass by 14.46%-30.65% and 22.59%-49.91%, respectively, compared with CK treatment. With the increase in cumin density, the crop growth rate (CGR) and compensation effect in cotton tended to significantly decrease at the IF stage regardless of organs considered. For the non-co-growth period (after harvesting cumin), cotton reproductive organ biomass in ID2 and ID3 treatments increased by 4.09%‒14.61% at the boll opening stage, crop growth rate in reproductive organs by 20.74% and 74.26% from peak boll to boll opening stages compared with CK treatment, due to an enhancement of 19.09% and 49.30% in the compensation effect. Compared with ID1, the aggressivity treated by ID2 and ID3 decreased by 12.82%-46.34% and 17.95%-31.71%, respectively. However, owing to a greater number of green bolls in the upper canopy at the harvest stages in the ID3 treatment, the system production value (closely related to yield) treated by ID2 was 11.69%-16.89%, 6.56%-20.02%, and 16.48%-59.83% greater than that of the ID1, ID3, and CK treatments, respectively. This also led to the highest WUE and net profit under the ID2 treatment.
Conclusion Intercropping cumin with medium density improved the cotton biomass accumulation characteristics and increased resources such as land and water utilization efficiency and economic benefits through a stronger compensation effect after harvesting cumin under subsurface drip irrigation without mulch. This study not only provides alternatives to residual film pollution in arid cotton fields but also establishes a sustainable agro-ecological-economic planting paradigm by reducing plastic use and enhancing water and fertilizer use efficiency, holding significant implications for advancing resource-efficient agricultural systems.

Background Agroecological cropping systems are recognised as an alternative way to ensure the sustainability of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production in the context of climate change and degradation of soil fertility. A study was conducted in Benin from 2020 to 2023 to compare six different cotton cultivars in three agroecological cropping systems in two cotton-growing zones. Plough-based tillage plus incorporation of cover crop biomass (PTI), conservation agriculture with strip tillage (CA_ST), and conservation agriculture with no tillage (CA_NT) were compared with the reference plough-based tillage (PT). The objective was to identify morpho-physiological traits of cotton that increase yield in agroecological cropping systems. Our approach combined a field experiment and crop simulation model (CSM) of CROPGRO-Cotton to evaluate the effects of genotype (G) × environment (E) × management (M) interactions on seed cotton yield (SCY).
Results Cultivars Tamcot_camde and Okp768 and simulated ideotypes performed best in CA systems. Increased seed mass, large and thick leaves, and later maturity were identified as beneficial for yield enhancement in CA systems. Cultivars and ideotypes that combine these traits also resulted in better nitrogen and water use efficiencies in CA systems. Under different climate scenarios up to 2050, ideotypes designed could increase SCY in Benin.
Conclusion A set of morpho-physiological traits associated with vegetative vigour is required to ensure a good SCY in agroecological cropping systems. These results provide scientific evidence and useful knowledge for breeders and research programmes on cropping systems focused on the adaptation of cotton to climate change.

Background Irrigation has been a strategy used to reduce losses due to drought, which combined with a good supply of nitrogen (N), can improve the protective system of cotton plants. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of irrigated and rainfed cotton cultivation using different rates and sources of N. Cotton cultivation was carried out in Selvíria-MS field in the 2017/2018 harvest. The experiment was conducted in randomized blocks, which were designed in a 4 × 2 × 2 factorial scheme. The factors were composed of 0, 40, 80, and 150 kg·hm^-2 level of N, using two sources of N under rainfed and irrigated systems.
Results The provision of irrigation provided an increase in the levels of chlorophylls (Chl) a, Chl b, total Chl, carotenoids, pheophytin, leaf chlorophyll index (LCI), N content, nitrate (NO₃^-), sucrose (SUC), the number of vegetative and reproductive branches, boll mass, and seed cotton productivity. There was no effect of N sources on any of the characteristics evaluated. Application of 150 kg·hm^-2 level of N increased in 11%, 59%, 22%, 15%, 15% and 17% in LCI, NO₃^-, N, total amino acids (TA), SUC, and proline concentration in leaves, compared with 0 kg·hm^-2 of N, respectively. Application of 150 kg·hm^-2 level of N improved the leaf catalase activity (CAT) under the irrigation system; however, in a rainfed system, the highest CAT was observed at rates of 0 and 150 kg·hm^-2 level of N. Irrigation increased in 55%, 117%, 68%, 46%, 8%, 36%, 24%, 118%, 48%, 10%, 11% and 72% in Chl a, Chl b, total Chl, CAR, LCI, pheophytins (Pheo), SUC, NO₃^-, the number of vegetative branches, the number of reproductive branches, mass of 20 bolls and seed cotton yield compared with rainfed system, respectively, however, the antioxidant system and the ammonium content of plants was stimulated by rainfed cultivation.
Conclusions Antioxidant responses increased during droughts in cotton farming, which may be connected to oxidative stress-related losses. Better N metabolism, photosynthetic pigments, and manufacturing components were all made possible by irrigated cultivation. The delivery of 150 kg·hm^-2 of N in topdressing in cotton agriculture promoted the N metabolism, sucrose, total amino acids, and the plant’s defense mechanism against oxidative stress.

本文针对提高棉花病虫害检测效率需求，提出了一种基于YOLOv5s改进的棉花叶片病虫害检测模型YOLOv5sMBT，该模型在YOLOv5s模型基础上构建多尺度特征提取网络（Multi-scale），提升特征提取能力；在特征提取网络与颈部网络间引入Transformer注意力机制，并与C3模块结合构成C3TR，提升模型对目标的注意力；引入加权双向特征金字塔网络（BiFPN）结构高效融合特征，加强底层和深层特征融合。以4种常见棉花病虫害（盲蝽、红蜘蛛、枯黄萎病、蚜虫）的2 179张叶片图片为数据集，按照3∶1∶1比例划分为训练集、验证集和测试集，进行病虫害检测验证。结果显示，YOLOv5sMBT模型的平均检测精度（mAP）值为0.838，优于原有模型（0.799）。本文为棉花病虫害的智能检测提供参考。

全球棉花生产体系正面临日益严峻的挑战，亟需在不断增长的纤维需求与紧迫的可持续发展目标——如缓解水资源短缺、减少温室气体排放及控制农业化学污染——之间实现平衡。传统栽培模式受限于目标单一化及产量、纤维品质、劳动效率与生态影响之间的固有权衡，难以应对这些系统性挑战。基于前期提出的协同栽培概念，本文首次系统性地提出并阐述了“棉花多目标协同栽培”（MOICC，亦称为“协同栽培”）。这一变革性模式以三大支柱为核心：动态权衡管理（如基于区域特点的目标优先级动态调整）、系统技术融合（融合精量播种、合理密植、化学调控、水肥协同及高效脱叶等技术）以及资源循环利用（通过时空优化与废弃物回收实现）。MOICC通过调控关键生理机制以突破可持续性瓶颈，主要包括：乙烯信号增强的逆境成苗机制；茉莉酸介导的水分与养分协同增效途径；冠层光竞争与激素调控耦合实现的免整枝管理；以及生长调节剂驱动的集中成熟机制。基于中国新疆、长江与黄河流域多样化农业生态系统及间作体系的案例研究表明，MOICC能够实现显著的协同增益：产量提升8%-22%；资源利用效率显著改善（水分利用率提升20%以上，氮肥偏生产力可达35 kg kg⁻⊃1;）；环境表现全面提升（劳动力投入减少30–40%，碳足迹降低24–37%，化肥与农药用量分别减少15–20%与25%）。尤为关键的是，MOICC通过系统集成化优化有效化解了核心矛盾：产量与品质的冲突（依托≥70%的内围铃实现平衡）、省工与生态安全的矛盾（依靠精准脱叶时机实现二者兼顾），以及生产力与排放的权衡（通过根区氮素监测进行调控）。未来研究重点应包括：解析多尺度胁迫适应机制、开发智能决策支持系统、推进全产业链碳中和路径、破解社会经济采纳壁垒以及构建协同政策框架。MOICC为全球棉花生产提供了一条可扩展的路径，旨在协同实现高产、优质、资源高效与生态可持续的目标，不仅为产业可持续转型提供了系统性框架，也展现出向其他主要作物体系推广的潜力。

辽河流域棉区不同化学封顶技术缺乏适配参数，为明确化学封顶剂浓度与处理时间的应用效果，采用农大化学封顶剂[25%甲哌鎓(1,1-dimethyl-piperidinium chloride，DPC)+助剂环烷酸盐]于2019—2020年在辽宁省经济作物研究所（辽宁辽阳）进行比较试验，设2个处理时间（7月13、18日）和3个处理浓度(750、1125、1500 mL/hm²)，共6个处理，以不打顶为对照(CK)，连续测量植株主茎顶端(0~5 cm)和亚顶端(5~10 cm)的生长素(IAA)、脱落酸(ABA)、赤霉素(GA₃)、玉米素(ZR)的含量，并观察记录植株的生长发育（株高、果枝数、上部果枝长度、上部节间长度）情况。结果表明：（1）IAA、ABA含量变化幅度总体与处理浓度呈正比，ZR含量变化幅度总体与处理浓度呈反比，中等浓度处理(1125 mL/hm²)GA₃含量变化幅度较大。（2）不同浓度处理的IAA、ABA和ZR含量变化在7月13日处理时差异明显，GA₃含量变化在2个处理时间没有明显差异。IAA含量变化在主茎顶端比亚顶端差异明显，ZR含量在亚顶端变化幅度较大，ABA和GA₃含量变化在2个部位无明显差异。（3）化学封顶对植株发育主要表现为抑制作用，其中，果枝数和上部果枝长度随处理浓度提高受抑制程度增加，7月13日处理随处理浓度提高株高受抑制程度加强，7月18日处理株高和上部节间长度都表现中等处理浓度受抑制程度最强。研究认为，化学封顶剂处理后，主茎顶部IAA和GA₃含量明显降低，ABA含量明显提高，ZR含量变化不明显，并且IAA和ABA含量下降幅度与封顶剂浓度呈正比，处理时间越早变化幅度越大。主茎顶端IAA含量变化较明显，亚顶端ZR含量变化幅度较明显。封顶剂处理后植株发育受到抑制，总体变化与激素变化趋势一致。未来可结合产量与纤维品质指标，优化化学封顶剂施用参数，建立适配辽河流域棉区的轻简化栽培技术体系。

针对新疆盐渍土中NaCl和Na₂SO₄为主的盐胁迫制约棉花生产，且单一盐胁迫鉴定不全面的问题，为筛选稳定耐盐种质，综合评估不同材料的耐盐性。本研究以75份陆地棉种质为试验材料，采用150 mmol/L NaCl和Na₂SO₄模拟盐胁迫，测定发芽势、发芽率、下胚轴长、根长和鲜重等5个性状，结合主成分分析、隶属函数法以及聚类分析对耐盐性进行综合评价。结果表明：（1）相较于对照组，2种盐胁迫均对各项萌发指标有不同程度的抑制作用，且Na₂SO₄的抑制作用强于NaCl。（2）聚类分析显示，在欧氏距离5处2种盐胁迫下均可将供试材料划分为5个耐盐等级。NaCl盐胁迫下，高耐型6份（占比8.00%），耐盐型13份（占比17.33%），中耐型22份（占比29.33%），敏感型25份（占比33.33%），高感型9份（占比12.00%）；Na₂SO₄盐胁迫下，高耐型仅有1份（占比1.33%），耐盐型6份（占比8.00%），中耐型16份（占比21.33%），敏感型37份（占比49.33%），高感型15份（占比20.00%）。（3）2种盐胁迫条件下耐盐性表现一致的材料共有22份，其中高耐型1份，耐盐型1份。不同陆地棉种质萌发期耐盐性差异显著，‘中棉所96B’和‘新陆中73号’为2种盐胁迫下均稳定的耐盐种质。未来可结合苗期耐盐性鉴定及分子标记分析，深化耐盐机制研究，为棉花耐盐育种提供更全面支撑。

豆科作物间作可增强非共生生物固氮（BNF）作用，但其潜在机制，尤其是不同生态位宽度的土壤关键固氮菌类群在其中发挥的作用仍不明确。本研究通过田间试验，评估了花生/棉花间作与各自单作条件下根际与非根际土壤中BNF活性的变化。通过固氮速率、固氮酶活性以及nifH基因丰度，结合微生物系统发育零模型、共现网络及生态位宽度分析，探讨关键固氮类群及其生态功能与BNF的关系。结果显示，与非根际土壤相比，根际土壤的BNF潜力提高了7.8%–125.5%；与单作相比，花生/棉花间作系统中固氮速率、固氮酶活性和nifH基因丰度提升了11.6%–323.0%（P<0.05）。固氮菌群落组成与多样性存在显著差异：间作系统与根际土壤中增加了大部分变形菌门（α-变形菌外）、降低了蓝藻门和厚壁菌门的相对丰度。固氮菌的群落构建主要受确定性过程驱动，尤其是异质性选择过程，在根际（91.9%）和间作土壤（86.3%）中占主导地位。此外，间作系统与根际土壤中的固氮菌共现网络更复杂、连接性更强，其中，优势类群为机会型固氮菌（78.8%–85.9%），其次为特化型（10.2%–18.5%）和泛化型（1.38%–3.80%）。网络关键类群（机会型的Azoarcus、Azohydromonas 和Steroidobacter，泛化型的Pseudomonas 和Azotobacter），以及土壤微生物量碳和硝态氮，与间作系统和根际土壤BNF活性的增强显著相关。花生/棉花间作通过选择性招募生态功能不同的关键固氮类群，尤其是机会型固氮菌，从而提升农田BNF潜力，促进农业可持续发展。

水力理论预测叶片水力导度（K_leaf）与气孔导度（g_s）之间存在正相关关系；然而，这一理论并未得到充分的观察支持，其潜在机制仍不清楚。目前，将K_leaf细分为木质部内水力导度（K_x）和木质部外水力导度（K_ox）为阐明K_leaf对g_s的调节机制提供了新的视角。最优的种植密度可以通过优化g_s来提高水分利用效率（WUE）；然而，在这一过程中叶片水力特性的变化及其对g_s和WUE的调节机制尚不明确。我们研究了K_x和K_ox与g_s、光合速率（A_N）和WUE之间的关系，并调查了在12、18、24、36、48、60、72和84株/平方米的8种种植密度下，影响K_ox的结构基础。结果显示，随着种植密度的增加，K_leaf和A_N保持一致，而K_ox和g_s显著下降。K_ox受叶片厚度和细胞间空气空间体积分数的显著影响。K_leaf和K_x与A_N和g_s没有相关性，但K_ox与g_s表现出显著的正相关。此外，K_ox与WUE显著负相关。这些发现表明，K_ox通过调节g_s来减少水分损失，同时维持A_N，从而在不同种植密度下提高棉花的WUE。

【目的】针对新疆水资源短缺和土壤肥力较低等问题，探究加气滴灌下不同灌水量和有机无机肥不同配比对土壤质量，棉花的生长、产量和水分利用效率的影响，为确定新疆棉花节水高效可持续生产的灌溉施肥模式提供理论依据。【方法】于2023和2024年在新疆生产建设兵团146团地区开展大田试验，在加气滴灌下设置2个灌水量（W1：80%ET_C和W2：100%ET_C，ET_C为作物蒸发蒸腾量）和5个有机无机肥配施比例（OF1：100%化肥，OF2：75%化肥+25%有机肥，OF3：50%化肥+50%有机肥，OF4：25%化肥+75%有机肥，OF5：100%有机肥），研究其对土壤质量指数（SQI）和棉花叶面积指数（LAI）、干物质累积量、产量、水分利用效率（WUE）的影响。【结果】土壤质量指数（SQI）随有机肥占比的提高而增大。与单施化肥相比，有机无机肥配施处理SQI两年平均提高了9.9%—28.8%。亏缺灌溉下土壤含水量和棉花LAI、干物质累积量、产量显著下降，而WUE显著提高。在两种灌溉水平（W1和W2）下，土壤含水量和棉花LAI、干物质累积量均随有机肥占比的增加呈先升后降趋势，W1灌溉水平下W1OF3处理以上指标取得最大值，而W2灌溉水平下W2OF2处理达最大值。与单施化肥OF1相比，有机无机肥配施处理两年土壤含水量、棉花的LAI和干物质累积量分别提高了0.4%—5.2%、4.1%—19.8%和3.7%—18.8%。两年籽棉产量均以W2OF2处理最大，两年平均产量为6 739.99 kg·hm^-2，但WUE以W1OF3处理最高，两年平均为1.42 kg·m^-3。分别利用隶属函数法、TOPSIS法和灰色关联度分析法对不同处理的SQI、籽棉产量和WUE进行评价，并结合整体差异组合评价模型对棉田SQI、籽棉产量和WUE进行综合评价，确定最优处理为W1OF3。【结论】考虑节水优先，保证产量的同时提高WUE和土壤质量为目标，推荐在加气滴灌下采用80%ET_C和50%有机肥+50%化肥作为新疆棉田节水高效生产措施。

本研究旨在研究膜下滴灌灌水定额对北疆棉花生长发育、耗水特性及产量的影响，为该区域棉花生产的节水、增产、增效提供理论依据。试验于2022—2024年通过设置4种不同灌水定额：30.0 mm(I20)、37.5 mm(I25)、45.0 mm(I30)和52.5 mm(I35)，探究不同滴灌定额对棉花生长指标、耗水规律及产量的调控效应。结果表明，随灌水定额的增加，棉花株高呈增加趋势，在I30和I35处理下达到峰值；而叶面积指数(LAI)和叶绿素相对含量(SPAD)呈先升后降趋势，峰值均出现在I30处理。棉花各生育阶段耗水量及作物系数均随灌水定额的增加呈上升趋势。棉花籽棉产量和皮棉产量随灌水定额的增加呈先增加后降低的趋势，其中I30处理产量最高，平均值分别为5535.35 kg/hm²和2348.42 kg/hm²。耗水量-产量的拟合分析表明，适宜耗水量范围为491.93~571.61 mm。综合评价结果表明，I30处理在3个生长季的综合评分均最高。综上，I30处理可实现北疆滴灌棉花产量最优，研究结果可为北疆棉花节水高产栽培提供理论依据。

Background Mepiquat chloride (MC) is a widely used plant growth regulator in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). It regulates endogenous hormone content and crosstalk to control plant height and promote lateral root (LR) development. However, the roles of cytokinins (CTKs) in the MC-induced increase in LR number in cotton seedlings remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, whole-genome transcriptome analysis was performed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms, CTK transformation, and CTK signaling pathway response to MC in cotton roots.
Results In the present study, MC reduced the contents of the active CTK trans-zeatin (tZ) and N⁶-isopentenyladenine (iP) but increased the levels of the nucleoside CTK trans-zeatin riboside (tZR) and N⁶-isopentenyladenine riboside (iPR). RNA-seq data showed that the CTK biosynthesis genes GhIPTs and active CTK catabolism genes GhCKXs were obviously upregulated after MC treatment. The CTK-activating enzyme gene GhLOGs was repressed compared with the control. Furthermore, MC inhibited the expression of GhAHK4 and GhARR2/12, which are involved in the CTK signaling pathway, and activated the IAA-IAA14-ARF7/19 signaling module. Meanwhile, MC increased the expression levels of genes involved in sucrose synthesis, the cell cycle, cell division, and cell wall biosynthesis pathways. Silencing the GhCKX family separately decreased the LR number and active indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) level. The expression levels of GhPIN1, GhARF7, GhARF19, GhLBD16, GhLBD18, GhLBD29, and GhLBD33 were downregulated, but GhARR2/12 and GhIAA14 were upregulated. The total content of active CTKs was noticeably increased. The results of silencing the GhLOGs family were opposite to those of silencing GhCKXs. Silencing GhARR12 could upregulate GhPIN1 expression and increase LR number. In addition, the silenced GhCKXs, GhLOGs, and GhARR12 were less responsive to MC-induced LR growth than the control.
Conclusion These results suggested that MC treatment could upregulate CTK-nucleoside biosynthesis and CTK metabolism genes to decrease active CTK levels, promoting crosstalk between CTKs and auxin signaling pathways to enhance LR initiation.

Background Achieving a synergistic enhancement in both the yield and insect resistance of Bt cotton holds substantial importance for boosting farmers' income and ecological advantages. This study investigated the impact of amino acid foliar fertilizer (AAF) on the yield and Cry1Ac protein (CP) content, providing valuable insights for enhancing its productivity and insect-resistance capabilities. In 2021, Sikang 1 and Sikang 3 were treated with AAF once (A1) and water (CK) during the peak flowering stage. In 2022, AAF was sprayed one (A1), two (A2), and three (A3) times, respectively, with CK serving as the control.
Results Compared with the control, the A3 treatment increased seed cotton yield (SCY) by 16.0% and CP by 40.98% at 30 days after flowering. AAF application enhanced soluble protein content (SP) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) activity, while suppressing protease and peptidase activities. Concurrently, AAF improved sucrose metabolism through elevated sucrose content and increased activities of sucrose synthase (SS) and sucrose conversion enzyme (SCE), which were also positively correlated with yield. A lower ratio of carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) was linked to higher yields and CP content. Path analysis confirmed that SP, GPT, SS, and SCE demonstrated positive effects on CP content and SCY, respectively. Peptidase activity had negative effects on CP and SCY. The C/N ratio had negative effects on SCY and CP, respectively.
Conclusions Triple foliar application of AAF maintained lower C/N ratios with enhanced carbon metabolism and protein synthesis capacity, thereby simultaneously increasing both Cry1Ac protein content and yield in Bt cotton. These findings provide critical insights for improving both pest resistance and agronomic performance in Bt cotton cultivation.

Background Cotton lodging has become increasingly prevalent due to extreme environmental conditions and agronomic practices, severely compromising yield, fiber quality, and mechanical harvesting efficiency. However, research on cotton lodging remains limited, with most studies focusing on individual or isolated indices rather than a comprehensive system. This study systematically compared four lodging-resistant varieties (LR-1, LR-2, LR-3, LR-4) and four lodging varieties (L-1, L-2, L-3, L-4) across multiple indices: morphological traits, boll distribution, internode filling degree, stem density, mechanical strength, anatomical structure, and chemical composition.
Results The results showed that at the boll-opening stage, lodging-resistant varieties exhibited higher density in the first (increased by 11.6%) and third (increased by 23.5%) basal internodes compared with lodging varieties and significantly greater filling degree in the first (increased by 22.6%), second (increased by 23.1%), and third (increased by 26.1%) basal internodes; significantly higher stem puncture strength (increased by 41.2%) and stem bending resistance (increased by 38.2%); and a significantly lower stem lodging coefficient (19.0% lower in lodging-resistant varieties). Additionally, lodging-resistant varieties showed significantly enhanced anatomical structures, including greater cortex thickness, more mechanical tissue layers, and larger pith cavity, xylem, and phloem areas. Conversely, no significant differences were observed in morphological traits, boll distribution, or chemical composition between the lodging-resistant and lodging types.
Conclusion Lodging-resistant varieties exhibited thicker cortical tissue and mechanical tissue layers, along with larger xylem area and phloem area in basal internodes. These structural characteristics provide superior support for the filling degree and density of basal internodes, thereby enhancing stem puncture strength and bending resistance, and ultimately improving lodging resistance in cotton. These findings provide a theoretical basis for reducing the occurrence of cotton lodging.

Crop chemical regulation using plant growth regulators (PGRs) represents a key strategy for achieving high-efficiency cotton production in China. This review synthesizes four decades of research on mepiquat chloride (MC), an inhibitory PGR pivotal to optimizing cotton growth architecture, stress resilience, and yield-quality parameters. We detail MC's stage-specific roles—from root development and flowering acceleration to canopy optimization and assimilate partitioning—and its mechanistic interactions with hormones (e.g., gibberellin suppression, cytokinin enhancement) under biotic/abiotic stresses. Furthermore, we conceptualize MC deployment into three evolutionary tiers: (1) symptom-guided remedial application, (2) systemic growth-stage programming, and (3) integrated management with agronomic practices. These paradigms, supported by field validation across China's cotton belts, offer a roadmap for precision regulation. Future advancements in nano-formulations, digital agriculture, and PGR synergism are discussed to unlock next-generation yield frontiers.

Background Aquaporins (AQPs) are integral membrane proteins belonging to the major intrinsic protein (MIP) family, playing a crucial role in water transport, cell elongation, and stress responses. However, their evolutionary dynamics and functional roles in Gossypium species remain poorly characterized.
Results In the present study, a total of 55, 54, 54, 103, 106, 108, and 104 AQP genes were found in G. herbaceum, G. arboreum, G. raimondii, G. barbadense, G. tomentosum, G. mustelinum, and G. darwinii, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis classified them into five conserved subfamilies (PIP, TIP, NIP, SIP, and XIP), with 95 genes showing synteny across species and 17 displaying divergence, suggesting subgenome differentiation. Transcriptome analysis revealed that specific GbAQP genes are involved in early salt stress responses and fiber development. Physiological assays demonstrated stronger salt tolerance in tetraploid cottons, particularly G. darwinii, compared with diploids. Co-expression network analysis linked AQPs to abiotic stress and fiber traits, and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) confirmed four AQP genes as critical for salt tolerance.
Conclusion This study provides comprehensive insights into the evolution, expression, and functional roles of AQPs in cotton, identifying key candidate genes for improving salt tolerance and fiber quality in Gossypium species.

Background Thidiazuron (TDZ) is a widely used chemical defoliant in commercial cotton production and is often combined with the herbicide Diuron to form the commercial defoliant mixture known as TDZ·Diuron (T·D, 540 g·L^-1 suspension). However, due to increasing concerns about the environmental and biological risks posed by Diuron, there is an urgent need to develop safer and more effective alternatives. Jasmonic acid (JA) and its derivatives are key phytohormones in organ senescence and abscission.
Results Greenhouse experiments at the seedling stage revealed that Me-JA (0.8 mmol·L^-1) alone did not induce defoliation. However, its co-application with TDZ (0.45 mmol·L^-1) at concentrations of 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 mmol·L^-1 significantly enhanced defoliation efficacy. The most effective combination—TDZ with 0.8 mmol·L^-1 Me-JA—achieved a 100% defoliation rate at 5 days after treatment (DAT), 23.7 percentage points higher than TDZ alone, and comparable to the commercial TDZ·Diuron formulation with equivalent TDZ content. Field trials conducted in Beijing (Shangzhuang), Hebei (Hejian), and Xinjiang (Shihezi) confirmed that the combination of 0.6 mmol·L^-1 Me-JA with 1.70 mmol·L^-1 TDZ provided optimal defoliation performance. At 21 DAT, the defoliation rate increased by 13.5-16.3 percentage points compared with TDZ alone. Furthermore, boll opening rates improved by 5.7-12.7 percentage points relative to TDZ-only treatments. Phytohormonal analyses from the Shangzhuang site showed that the combined treatment significantly altered hormone levels in both leaves and petioles. Compared with TDZ alone, the mixture reduced concentrations of auxin (IAA), cytokinins (Z + ZR, iP + iPA, DHZ + DHZR), and gibberellic acid (GA₃), while increasing levels of JA, abscisic acid (ABA), and brassinosteroids (BR). These hormonal shifts may underlie the enhanced defoliation observed with the combined treatment. Importantly, the TDZ-Me-JA combination did not adversely affect cotton yield, yield components, or fiber quality.
Conclusion The combination of Me-JA and TDZ has a good defoliation effect without affecting crop yield or fiber quality. And it provides a promising foundation for the development of novel, environmentally friendly cotton defoliants.

One of the solutions to the global warming risk and other climate issues is to concentrate on research and development of utilizing biomass as a fossil fuel alternative. The current estimate of cotton residue waste in the world is about 50 million tons. This massive volume of biomass waste should be turned into clean energy to avert burning the stalks in open fields after cotton harvesting. Therefore, harmful emissions such as CO₂ will be reduced. This study aims to investigate the published literature to comprehend the bioenergy production from the thermal treatment of cotton stalks, including combustion, pyrolysis, carbonization, torrefaction, liquefaction, and gasification. Furthermore, the future outlook, utilization, and prospective challenges of agricultural biomass for biofuel production are discussed. According to the literature, biochar and bio-oil derived from cotton stalks have high heating values of about 27.5 and 37.2 MJ·kg^-1, respectively. These values are double those of cotton stalk raw materials, which make it a good candidate for bioenergy production. This article offers valuable insight into cotton stalk utilization via thermochemical treatment and provides a solid reference for researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders in this field.

Elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) may mitigate stress-induced damage to cotton (Gossypium spp.) growth and development.  However, understanding the early-stage responses of cotton to multiple abiotic stressors at eCO₂ levels has been limited.  This study quantified the impacts of chilling (CS, 22/14°C, day/night temperature), heat (HS, 38/30°C), drought (DS, 50% irrigation of the control), and salt (SS, 8 dS m^–1) stresses on pigments, physiology, growth, and development of 14 upland cotton cultivars under ambient CO₂ (aCO₂, 420 ppm; current) and eCO₂ (700 ppm; future) levels during the vegetative stage.  The eCO₂ partially negated the effects of all stresses by improving one or more of the pigments, physiological, growth, and development traits, except CS.  For instance, HS at aCO₂ significantly increased stomatal conductance by 36% compared with non-stressed plants at aCO₂.  However, HS at eCO₂ significantly decreased stomatal conductance by 18% compared with HS at aCO₂.  The first squaring was delayed by one day under SS at aCO₂ but two days earlier under SS at eCO₂ than non-stressed plants at aCO₂.  Root and shoot dry mass and the total leaf area were significantly higher under all stresses, except for CS, at the eCO₂ compared with similar stresses at the aCO₂.  Most growth and development traits, including plant height, leaf area, and shoot dry mass, displayed a mirroring response pattern between aCO₂ and eCO₂ under all environments except CS.  Cultivars exhibited significant interaction with stressed environments.  Further, results revealed differential sensitivity and adaptation potential of cultivars to stress environments at varying CO₂ levels.  This study highlights the need to consider eCO₂ in designing breeding programs to develop stress-tolerant varieties for future cotton-growing environments.

【目的】DUS测试是棉花品种审定和保护的重要技术依据，近似品种筛选是DUS测试的关键环节。在《NY/T 2469—2013陆地棉品种鉴定技术规程SSR分子标记法》修订的基础上，构建我国陆地棉DUS测试已知品种DNA指纹数据库，确定近似品种筛选的遗传相似度阈值，为提高棉花近似品种筛选的严谨性和精准性奠定基础。【方法】首先对NY/T 2469—2013中已有和搜集到的棉花SSR引物进行初筛、复筛，确定一批PCR扩增稳定、多态性高、峰图易读的SSR引物，对原技术规程进行修订。其次，利用确定的SSR引物构建棉花DUS测试已知品种DNA指纹数据库。最后，通过表型差异与遗传差异的关系研究确定近似品种筛选的遗传相似度阈值。【结果】经筛选，确定了覆盖陆地棉26条染色体的42对SSR引物，包含原标准中的12个SSR标记。选定的42对引物中有25对引物扩增出2个位点，其中23对引物只有一个位点存在多态性，另外2对引物（NAU1167和HAU1413）的2个位点都具有多态性。44个具有多态性的位点共检测到164个等位变异，每个位点的等位变异数为2—7，多态性信息指数（PIC）变化范围为0.15—0.66。利用上述42对引物对2 100份棉花样品进行DNA指纹采集，构建我国陆地棉DUS测试已知品种DNA指纹数据库，数据完整性达98.85%。对648份品种权授权品种、843份审定品种和2 100份陆地棉已知品种的SSR指纹数据进行品种间两两比较，结果显示，陆地棉品种间差异比较大，三类品种间成对遗传相似度集中分布在40.00%—70.00%，均占比90.00%以上。遗传相似度在80.00%以上的品种对数占比分别为0.28%（授权品种）、0.31%（审定品种）和0.31%（已知品种）。基于177份陆地棉品种及其近似品种进行表型差异与遗传差异关系分析，54份棉花申请品种与其近似品种遗传相似度高于90.00%，其中18份申请品种不具备特异性，占33.33%。123份棉花申请品种与其近似品种遗传相似度低于90.00%，这些申请品种与其近似品种均存在明显的表型差异，具备特异性。陆地棉DUS测试中依据该套SSR标记进行近似品种筛选的遗传相似度阈值可设置为90.00%，高于阈值的申请品种与近似品种需要进一步进行田间表型鉴定。【结论】对NY/T 2469—2013进行了修订，构建了我国陆地棉DUS测试已知品种DNA指纹数据库，确定了基于SSR分子标记的遗传相似度90.00%作为棉花DUS测试近似品种筛选的阈值，提高了近似品种筛选的严谨性和精准性。

棉花为一种重要的全球经济作物，其产量和纤维品质受非生物胁迫威胁日益严重。本研究对已发表的31篇文献中的3016个非生物胁迫相关数量性状位点（Quantitative Trait Loci，QTLs）进行Meta-QTL分析，共鉴定出34个MQTL。其中在9个具有包含较多初始QTL数量、高R²值及窄置信区间（CIs）等特征的主效MQTLs区段内，共注释到297个基因。结合转录组数据筛选出5个差异基因，进一步通过qRT-PCR确定GhPCMP-E17为进一步功能鉴定的候选基因。通过病毒诱导基因沉默（Virus-Induced Gene Silencing, VIGS）技术发现：与TRV:00植株相比，GhPCMP-E17沉默植株在干旱和盐胁迫条件下表现出更严重的萎黄现象；沉默GhPCMP-E17会削弱抗氧化酶的功能，从而增加活性氧的积累。上述结果表明，沉默GhPCMP-E17基因表达可增强棉花植株对干旱和盐胁迫的敏感性。本研究为陆地棉适应性非生物作物育种提供了优良的遗传资源。

本研究定量解析南疆沙质土壤“干播湿出”模式下，初始土壤含水量(W1：10%~15%；W2：15%~20%；W3：20%~25%)与出苗水滴水频次(F1：1次；F2：2次；F3：3次)的交互作用对棉花苗期生长（土壤环境、出苗率、幼苗生长及根系发育）的影响机制，旨在通过模糊综合评价筛选最优组合，为干旱区棉花节水灌溉制度优化提供理论支撑。以棉花品种‘J8031’为材料，系统研究不同处理对苗期土壤物理性质、植株生理生态指标及根系发育的影响。结果表明：土壤含水量、滴水频次及其交互作用对棉花苗期的土壤环境、植株生长及根系发育均存在显著影响。随滴水频次增加，土壤板结度显著降低，而各土层土壤电导率(EC)值则显著升高。苗期生长方面，F1处理在各含水量条件下综合表现最优，出苗率达85%~95%；在W2F1组合中株高达24.94 cm，在W1F1组合中茎粗达3.16 mm；且其地上部干物质积累量显著高于F2、F3处理。根系发育方面，根重、根质量密度、根长密度等指标也均以F1处理最高，且在深层土壤中表现出较多的根尖数。基于综合模糊评价，F1处理的综合表现最优（得分最高）。综上，在南疆沙土条件下，“干播湿出”棉田采用单次滴灌(F1)作为出苗水管理方式，可有效促进棉花出苗，并利于苗期植株生长和根系发育。

为筛选适宜新疆阿拉尔垦区干播湿出侧封土模式下无膜种植的棉花品种（系），本研究以新陆中82号为对照品种（CK），测定了塔河2号等14个品种（系）在该模式下的破土率、出苗率、保苗率、出苗天数，以及生育期等农艺性状，籽棉及皮棉产量，纤维上半部平均长度等品质性状。结果表明，参试材料滴出苗水第7天的破土率在31.82%～56.15%，第14天的出苗率在82.41%～97.05%，保苗率在68.38%～90.30%，出苗天数在11.0～15.5 d；参试材料的生育期在129.0～148.5 d，株高在69.78～88.04 cm，第一果枝节位在6.36～9.14节，第一果枝节高度在14.79～36.05 cm，果苔数在6.71～8.96个，单株结铃数在4.76～6.47个，铃重在4.96～6.26 g，衣分在40.68%～44.47%；参试材料的籽棉产量在262.33～363.33 kg/667 m²，皮棉产量在112.13～155.88 kg/667 m²；参试材料的上半部平均长度在28.51～31.35 mm，断裂比强度在26.51～34.95 cN/tex，马克隆值在3.70～4.65，整齐度在82.95%～86.04%，成熟度在0.83～0.86。综合来看，塔河2号、Z1112、17-1609、17-1612综合表现较佳，塔河2号可在阿拉尔垦区进行无膜种植，Z1112、17-1609、17-1612可作为无膜棉育种材料进行进一步研究。

钾（K）作为一种流动性强的营养元素，可以通过再分配不断调整棉花叶间与叶内对K需求的适应策略，间接导致了不同叶位叶片钾含量（LKC, %）的丰缺变化。然而，受光照和叶龄的相互作用，不同叶位叶片对这种变化的敏感程度并不相同，也包括对光谱的反射和吸收。如何选择最佳监测叶位是利用光谱遥感技术快速准确评估棉花LKC的一个重要因素。因此，本研究基于棉花自上而下叶位LKC的垂直分布特征，提出一种多叶位综合估算模型，实现准确估算棉花LKC的同时优化监测叶位的选择策略。连续2年（2020-2021年），我们采集了棉花蕾期、花期和铃期自上而下全部叶位主茎叶片（Li, i=1, 2, 3,...n）的高光谱成像数据。研究不同叶位LKC的垂直分布特征，敏感性差异以及与光谱之间的相关关系，确定最佳监测优势叶位范围；利用偏最小二乘（PLSR）、随机森林回归（RFR）、支持向量机回归（SVR）以及熵权法（EWM）分别建立了单叶位和多叶位LKC估算模型。结果表明，棉花LKC呈垂直异质性分布，LKC自上而下呈先增加后缓慢减少的趋势，平均LKC在开花期达到最大值。上部叶位叶片对K的敏感性更强，与光谱的相关性更好。三个生育时期选择的监测优势叶位范围分别为L1-L5, L1-L4以及L1-L2。基于监测优势叶位，三个生育期估算LKC的最佳单叶位模型分别为PLSR-CARS-L4, PLSR-RF-L1及SVR-RF-L2，R2val分别为0.786, 0.58及0.768，RMSEval分别为0.168, 0.197及0.191；利用EWM构建多叶位置LKC估计模型，R2val分别为0.887, 0.728和0.703；RMSEval分别为0.134, 0.172和0.209。相比之下，新开发的多叶位综合估算模型取得较好结果，在精度较高的基础上提高了模型的稳定性，尤其是在蕾期和花期。这些结果对棉花LKC光谱模型的研究及选择适合的田间监测叶位具有重要意义。

本研究旨在明确新疆生产建设兵团第七师（以下简称“七师”）垦区高产棉田耕层土壤的养分含量特征，为棉花生产提供科学施肥依据。以七师垦区7个主要植棉团镇的高产棉田耕层土壤为研究对象，采用野外取样与室内试验相结合的方法，参照新疆棉田土壤养分分级标准和土壤盐渍化程度分级标准，运用统计学方法分析了高产棉田耕层土壤的养分含量。结果表明：耕层土壤呈中性至微碱性（pH 7.58~8.10）；可溶性总盐平均含量为1.81 g/kg，属于轻度或无盐化土壤；土壤有机质平均含量为12.39 g/kg，土壤有机质缺乏；土壤全氮平均含量为0.105%，属高水平；有效磷平均含量为28.33 mg/kg，属中等水平；速效钾平均含量高达409.91 mg/kg；土壤有效硼平均含量为2.56 mg/kg，处于高水平；有效锌平均含量为0.55 mg/kg，属中等偏低水平；有效铁平均含量为10.93 mg/kg，处于中等偏高水平；有效锰平均含量较低，为5.96 mg/kg，属低水平；有效铜平均含量为1.04 mg/kg，属中等偏高水平。建议为在“十五五”期间保持棉花的高产优质，应在生产中合理配施氮磷肥料，适当控制钾肥用量，同时保证有机肥的充足施用。此外，应重视锌、锰等微量元素的补充，并根据棉花生长情况酌情施用硼、铁、铜肥料。

Background The geo-traceability of cotton is crucial for ensuring the quality and integrity of cotton brands. However, effective methods for achieving this traceability are currently lacking. This study investigates the potential of explainable machine learning for the geo-traceability of raw cotton.
Results The findings indicate that principal component analysis (PCA) exhibits limited effectiveness in tracing cotton origins. In contrast, partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) demonstrates superior classification performance, identifying seven discriminating variables: Na, Mn, Ba, Rb, Al, As, and Pb. The use of decision tree (DT), support vector machine (SVM), and random forest (RF) models for origin discrimination yielded accuracies of 90%, 87%, and 97%, respectively. Notably, the light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) model achieved perfect performance metrics, with accuracy, precision, and recall rate all reaching 100% on the test set. The output of the LightGBM model was further evaluated using the SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) technique, which highlighted differences in the elemental composition of raw cotton from various countries. Specifically, the elements Pb, Ni, Na, Al, As, Ba, and Rb significantly influenced the model's predictions.
Conclusion These findings suggest that explainable machine learning techniques can provide insights into the complex relationships between geographic information and raw cotton. Consequently, these methodologies enhances the precision and reliability of geographic traceability for raw cotton.

Background Cotton is an industrial crop renowned for its multifaceted applications in the textiles, pharmaceuticals, and biofuel industries. Plant regeneration through somatic embryogenesis (SE) plays a crucial role in the genetic improvement of cotton. There is a strong correlation between SE and zygotic embryogenesis (ZE) in plants. Furthermore, the strategy of ectopic expression of cotton genes into the model plant Arabidopsis has been a widely accepted approach for functional study.
Result Based on previous spatial transcriptomics of cotton somatic embryos, two genes, GhHAT5 and GhCRK29, were identified. They are highly expressed in cotyledon and epidermal cells of cotton cotyledonary embryos, respectively. In this study, GhHAT5 and GhCRK29 were ectopically expressed in Arabidopsis to investigate their functions. The result showed that in Arabidopsis zygotic embryos, the overexpression of GhHAT5 promoted the development of apical embryonic upper-tier cells and embryonic cotyledon, while the overexpression of GhCRK29 promoted the development of apical embryonic lower-tier cells and embryonic radicle. Given the similarities between somatic and zygotic embryogenesis, these findings suggest that GhHAT5 and GhCRK29 are involved in cotton SE. We also speculate that these genes may promote the expression of the Arabidopsis endogenous gene AtSCR, which is crucial for embryonic development.
Conclusion These results revealed that GhHAT5 and GhCRK29 regulate embryonic development and are essential in advancing our understanding of cotton SE and facilitating targeted genetic manipulation strategies to improve industrial crop traits and agricultural sustainability.

为进一步探究‘聊棉21号’棉花新品种的产量特征特性及增产突破点，以2018—2021年山东省棉花区域试验、生产试验数据为材料，试验品种为‘聊棉21号’，对照品种为‘鲁棉研28号’，利用主成分分析、通径分析方法，进行丰产性、稳产性及相关农艺性状进行分析。结果显示：‘聊棉21号’具有良好的丰产性、稳产性和适应度；皮棉产量与单株结铃数、霜前花率、单铃重、衣分呈显著正相关；主成分分析中提取了5个主成分，其累计贡献率为87.94%；通径分析表明‘聊棉21号’的皮棉产量按照贡献率大小依次为单株结铃数(0.583)、衣分(0.459)、单铃重(0.369)。研究表明，‘聊棉21号’是产量稳定、适应性强、品质优的棉花品种，具有良好的抗盐碱性，适宜在黄河流域特别是盐碱地大面积推广应用。

为解决棉花打顶后生长重心转变慢、造成营养浪费等问题，以‘新陆早62号’为试验材料，研究化学打顶和传统人工打顶对其形态指标及产量指标的影响，进一步揭示在不同打顶方式下棉花的生长响应。化学和人工打顶处理，分别对称选取30株棉花定点测量，在打顶后0、7、15、30 d后测量选定棉株株高、果枝数和单株铃数，在喷施脱叶剂前调查选定棉株吐絮铃数和未吐絮铃数，计算吐絮率。每个处理选取6.67 m³样点测量棉花收获密度、平均单株铃、单铃重、衣分等指标，计算籽棉和皮棉产量。结果表明，相较于人工打顶，棉花化学打顶后0~30 d植株株高和果枝数显著增加；打顶后0~15 d，化学打顶的大、小铃数较人工打顶更少，30 d后表现增加；吐絮率、单铃重、衣分和产量等指标有所降低，单株铃数则表现升高；最终表现为人工打顶处理产量略高于化学打顶，处理间无明显差异。建议对于棉花偏旺、植株生物量较大且打顶时间较晚的棉田采用人工打顶，以加快棉花营养生长向生殖生长转变，促进蕾铃发育。对于棉花长势偏弱的棉田，通过主成分分析发现化学打顶综合农艺指标更优，可在达到打顶效果的同时一定程度上平衡棉花营养和生殖生长，避免棉花因人工打顶造成的机械损伤，充分发挥棉花的增产潜能。

为筛选湖北地区棉田适用的安全高效茎叶除草剂，本研究采用大田小区试验，通过苗后茎叶定向喷雾，比较分析了9种除草剂对棉田杂草的防除效果、棉花产量及安全性。结果显示：施药后21 d，30%苯唑草酮SC（27 ga.i./hm²）、5%咪唑乙烟酸AS（100 ga.i./hm²）、21%精草铵膦铵盐SL（820 ga.i./hm²）、51%丙炔氟草胺WG（60 ga.i./hm²）和50%扑草净WP （1050 ga.i./hm²），对棉田总草鲜重的防效分别为99.40%、86.07%、91.17%、98.81%和99.34%，显著高于25%砜嘧磺隆WG（26 ga.i./hm²）、15%硝磺草酮SC（190 ga.i./hm²）和10%吡嘧磺隆WP（30 ga.i./hm²）的处理效果。产量分析表明，所有药剂处理均能显著提高‘冈棉13号’产量，其中21%精草铵膦铵盐SL（820 ga.i./hm²）和51%丙炔氟草胺WG（60 ga.i./hm²）处理的增产幅度最大。安全性评价表明，仅15%硝磺草酮SC（190 ga.i./hm²）对棉花存在一定风险，表现为显著降低棉花根粗。田间应用示范结果（与人工除草相比）显示：21%精草铵膦铵盐SL（820 ga.i./hm²）、51%丙炔氟草胺WG（60 ga.i./hm²）均能提高‘冈棉13号’产量。综上，推荐在试验剂量下，通过茎叶定向喷雾施用21%精草铵膦铵盐SL和51%丙炔氟草胺WG防除棉田杂草，该方案效果显著且对棉花安全。