Clemson University Researchers Uncover Roots of Climate-Resilient Cotton

A new study is shedding light on how to make cotton more climate-resilient through improved water use efficiency (WUE). WUE, a critical trait for crop resilience in the face of climate change, measures the amount of biomass or economic yield produced per unit of water used, often summarized as "crop per drop."

A research team at Clemson University led by Sruthi Narayanan has discovered that certain root traits in Upland cotton can significantly enhance WUE. The team found root weight, length, surface area, and volume of very fine roots (less than 0.25 mm in diameter) are key to improving WUE. The study tested genotypes from major cotton-growing regions in Western, Southwestern, Midsouth and Eastern United States. Cotton varieties Deltapine 14, Station Miller and Southland M1 performed best in the study.

"Cotton genotypes that can maintain water-use-efficiency even when root growth is limited by soil hardpans can be good selections for the southeastern United States," said Om Prakash Ghimire, doctoral student and lead author for a paper about the project.