Drought stress reshapes the genetic architecture of fiber quality and developmental traits in Egyptian cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.): a line × tester analysis under contrasting irrigation regimes

Summary

Researchers at Egyptian research stations crossed seven Giza lines (including Giza 70, 85, 87, 92, 93 and 96) with three testers to produce 21 hybrids, then grew parents and hybrids at Sakha, Kafr El-Sheikh, in 2025 under normal irrigation (8–10 waterings) and drought (three waterings). They measured micronaire, upper half mean length, uniformity and strength. With normal water, fibre length was controlled mostly by additive genes and was highly heritable (narrow-sense 0.98); under drought, that figure dropped to 0.21 and non-additive effects took over. Giza 85 was the best parent for fibre length under drought, and the Giza 85 × Giza 86 cross gained 8.5% in length and 6.6% in strength over its parents' average. The authors stress it is one season at one site, and soil moisture was not measured directly.

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