Effects of Cotton Leafroll Dwarf Virus Infection in Cotton Grown in High Heat Conditions

Cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) is a polerovirus transmitted by Aphis gossypii Glover. Factors contributing to cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield losses caused by CLRDV infection remain unclear, but results from previous studies indicate that the environmental component of the disease triangle may significantly influence yield loss outcomes. This 3-year study was conducted to compare yield and yield components, fiber quality, root weight, and other morphological parameters of CLRDV-infected and noninfected plants grown under high heat conditions. Potted plants were grown in an insect-proof screen house covered with plastic, and data were collected on a per-plant basis. Plants did not exhibit obvious symptoms during any year of the study. CLRDV infection significantly reduced lint yield, number of seeds, number of bolls in the first fruiting position, seed index, and root dry weight. Fiber quality analysis showed that there was a reduction in the content of short fibers in CLRDV-infected plants. Possible interference of CLRDV on translocation of photoassimilates in the phloem, along with changes in net photosynthesis and other physiological processes, may explain how this virus affected some of the parameters evaluated, especially lint yield, yield components, and root dry weight. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .