Pingping Yang , Yuexin Zhu

Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China
Author    Correspondence author
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

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.

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)

 

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.

Cotton; Water requirement; Irrigation strategy; Growth and development; Yield and quality