Assessment of biochemical and nutritional parameters to successive pickings in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genotypes

The present investigation assessed thirty upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genotypes for key biochemical parameters (sugar, phenol, gossypol, oil and crude protein) and nutritional components (iron, zinc and calcium) across first and second pickings under field conditions at CCS HAU, Hisar. Significant genotypic variability and picking-wise differences were observed for all traits, except zinc content. Sugar content ranged from 3.12-5.67% in the first picking and 3.14-5.63% in the second. Phenol content varied between 0.81-1.16% and 0.80-1.23% in the first and second pickings, respectively, with genotype H 1528 consistently showing the highest phenol content, and H 1553 the lowest. Gossypol content ranged from 0.33-0.57% in the first picking and 0.31-0.58% in the second, with H 1593 recording the maximum and H 1559-1 the minimum value. Oil content varied from 10.63-16.00% in the first picking and 10.43-15.37% in the second. For nutritional traits, iron content ranged from 98.86-109.47 mg/kg (first picking) and 98.17-106.59 mg/kg (second picking); zinc content from 47.80-57.28 mg/kg and 48.20-55.18 mg/kg; and calcium content from 0.90-1.56 g/kg and 0.88-1.67 g/kg, respectively. These findings underscore the importance of genotype selection and harvest timing in optimizing seed quality traits in cotton.