ABSTRACT
We investigated water stress-mediated alterations in the carbohydrate, organic acid, and inorganic (P, Ca, K, N) composition of developing bolls of Gossypium hirsutum L. Plants were grown in the greenhouse under water stress conditions with a set of corresponding well-watered plants as controls. Nutrient supply levels were monitored for bolls harvested at 15, 25, 35, and 45 days post-anthesis (DPA). Analysis of lint and seed indicated that sucrose levels were less for stressed plants than for controls over the sampling period. Glucose, fructose, and organic acids were higher for stressed plants compared to controls only at 25 DPA. Distribution of inorganic nutrients among carpel, lint, and seed differed according to characteristic responses in partitioning between vegetative and fruiting growth or direct yield responses.
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