Cotton Genomics and Genetics 2025, Vol.16, No.2, 57-71 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/cgg 57 Feature Review Open Access Study On the Influence of Irrigation Strategies On Cotton Growth and Yield Pingping Yang, Yuexin Zhu Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China Corresponding email: yuexin.zhu@hitar.org Cotton Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol.16, No.2 doi: 10.5376/cgg.2025.16.0007 Received: 11 Jan., 2025 Accepted: 25 Feb., 2025 Published: 10 Mar., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Yang and Zhu, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Yang P.P., and Zhu Y.X., 2025, Study on the influence of irrigation strategies on cotton growth and yield, Cotton Genomics and Genetics, 16(2): 57-71 (doi: 10.5376/cgg.2025.16.0007) Abstract Cotton is an important fiber and cash crop in the world, but major producing areas generally face the challenge of water shortage. This study reviews the water demand characteristics of cotton at various growth stages, as well as the effects of water shortage and excessive irrigation on cotton physiology, growth and yield, and evaluates the effects of traditional irrigation and advanced irrigation technologies (such as drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and underground infiltration irrigation) and precision irrigation strategies (such as deficit irrigation). The analysis shows that different irrigation methods significantly affect the root development, plant height, leaf area index, and flowering and boll setting process of cotton, thereby affecting seed cotton yield and fiber quality. A reasonable irrigation system can improve water use efficiency while ensuring yield and fiber quality. As a field case, the large-scale drip irrigation practice under plastic film in Xinjiang cotton fields has demonstrated significant yield-increasing and water-saving effects, but it also faces problems such as secondary salinization of the soil and residual film pollution. Looking forward to the future, intelligent irrigation integrating remote sensing and the Internet of Things, breeding of drought-resistant cotton varieties, and policy and training support will be the key directions for optimizing cotton irrigation and achieving sustainable production. This study summarizes the research progress on the impact of irrigation strategies on cotton growth and yield in recent years, aiming to provide a scientific reference for efficient water use and stable yield of cotton in arid areas. Keywords Cotton; Water requirement; Irrigation strategy; Growth and development; Yield and quality 1 Introduction Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is one of the most important natural fiber crops in the world and a major source of income for farmers in many countries. The global cotton planting area is about 31.92 million hectares, with an annual turnover of about US $5.68 billion, and it occupies a key position in the textile industry (Koudahe et al., 2021). As an economic crop, cotton production is related to the livelihoods of farmers in many developing countries and the development of related industries. China, India, and the United States are major cotton producers, among which Xinjiang, China, accounts for more than 73% of the country's cotton production and plays a strategic role in the country's textile raw material supply (He et al., 2023). However, cotton cultivation is usually concentrated in arid and semi-arid areas with limited precipitation, and irrigation is required to meet its water needs for growth, making water resources one of the decisive factors in cotton production. Drought and water scarcity are severe challenges faced by cotton-producing areas around the world. In major cotton-producing areas such as northwest China, the South Asian subcontinent, and southwestern America, precipitation is low and varies greatly from year to year, and competition for irrigation water is fierce. Especially in Xinjiang, China, extremely dry climate conditions and unreasonable use of water and soil resources have led to secondary salinization of cotton fields, exacerbating the agricultural water crisis (Yang et al., 2024). Water stress will limit the growth and development of cotton, reduce photosynthesis and nutrient absorption, and ultimately lead to reduced yields. On the other hand, unreasonable excessive irrigation not only wastes water resources, but may also cause problems such as poor soil aeration, nutrient leaching and increased diseases. Therefore, achieving a balance between water supply and demand and improving irrigation water utilization efficiency in cotton-producing areas are crucial to ensuring cotton yield and quality (Hussain et al., 2020). The current challenge is how to formulate scientific irrigation strategies to cope with water shortages based on the water demand characteristics of cotton in each growth period and regional water resource conditions.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==