MYCOBIOTA OF COTTON (GOSSYPIUM HIRSUTUM L.) CULTIVATED IN THE ARAN KARABAKH REGION (AZERBAIJAN): TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY AND ECOLOTROPHIC STRUCTURE

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) represents a key industrial crop cultivated in the semi-arid lowlands of Azerbaijan. The Aran Karabakh region is characterized by intensive irrigation agriculture, elevated summer temperatures, and periodically saline soils, all of which influence plant–microorganism interactions. The present study investigates the composition and ecological structure of microscopic fungi associated with cotton plants grown under field conditions in this region. Fungal isolates were recovered from roots, stems, leaves, and bolls using classical culture-based techniques followed by morphological identification. The obtained results demonstrated that the fungal assemblage was dominated by Ascomycetous taxa, particularly species of Fusarium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium. Ecolotrophic assessment revealed a predominance of pathogenic and opportunistic saprotrophic forms, whereas endophytic representatives occurred less frequently. The findings contribute to understanding the fungal ecology of cotton agroecosystems in Azerbaijan and emphasize the necessity of phytosanitary surveillance in intensively cultivated arid landscapes.