Evaluation of physiological responses and yield stability during long-term water deficiency memory of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Abstract

Crops are often exposed to simultaneous abiotic stresses affect plant health and yield. With respect to the plant life cycle, memorial ability helps to remember stress position and stimulate tolerant physiological, biochemical and morphological mechanism to compensate reducing yield. As a result of climate changing and reducing water resources, cotton cultivation is expanding on rainfed area, that is changing the production of cotton seed yield and fiber. This experiment was done to evaluate drought stress memory effects on yield and fiber in cotton. In this experiment seeds of cotton, Golestan genotype, affect for second and third times in drought stress exposure (rain-fed, 33%, 66%, and 100% FC) in split-plot factorial design. Results indicated that activation memorial drought stress equip plants against water deficiency. It is noticeable that epicuticular wax accumulation on cotton seed coat, total phenol, secondary metabolites such as Glycine betaine and protein content of seed were influenced. On the other side, Kiel percentage, 30-boll weight and total yield in S 33 in the water-stress exposure were significant. It can be concluded that not only does cotton-seed reproduction against 33% FC irrigation reduces water need, but also it improves seed tolerance for planting in the following crop season. So, memory stress as an important tolerant mechanism lead to enhance some physiological equipment in seed when seeds encounter with water shortage exposure in following years.