Yield and fiber quality traits of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) under water stress conditions

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different irrigation levels on yield and fiber quality traits of different cotton varieties in 2021 at research farm of the Agriculture Faculty of Çukurova University. Trial was arranged in a split-plot system in a randomized complete block with three replicates and irrigation treatments were maintained as main plots, while the varieties were in the sub-plots. In the trial, irrigation water was applied to cotton varieties using drip irrigation method as 100%, 50%, 25% of evaporationfrom Class A Pan corresponding to 8-day irrigation frequencies. Plant height, number of fruiting branches and bolls per plant, boll weight, 100 seed weight, lint percentage, seedcotton yield, lint yield, fiber length, uniformity index, fiber strenght, elongation and yellowness declined significantly as the water application rate decreased. Seedcotton yield of varieties ranged from 2349 to 4549 kg ha-1 under different irrigation levels. May 505 variety produced the highest seedcotton and lint yields with full irrigation, while all cultivars produced the lowest yields in the I25 treatment. The finer fibers and the lower short fiber contents were reached in deficit irrigation levels. Finer fibers were obtained from May 505 variety under the I25 treatment, while coarser fibers were obtained with Fiona, May 455 and May 344 varieties under full irrigation.