Gossypium L. is one of the largest genera, known for its diversity and economic value among field crops, while allotetraploid cotton species have a valuable source of a model system for studying plant polyploidy, phylogeny, and breeding. This review provides, first, the production and use of Cotton (Gossypium) in the world. Second, important information on cotton cultivation and production in Kazakhstan was provided in detail. Third, we summarized the phylogeny of Gossypium L. Fourth, we provided a brief summary of morphological characteristics and whole genome sequence studies of seven allotetraploid cotton species including G. hirsutum (AD)1, G. barbadense (AD)2, G. tomentosum (AD)3, G. mustelinum (AD)4, G. darwinii (AD)5, G. ekmanianum (AD)6 and G. stephensii (AD)7. This review is valuable for future agronomic and molecular research studies on cotton.

Cotton (Gossypium L.) is one of the most economically significant crops globally, with its cultivation spanning diverse geographic regions. The genus Gossypium comprises over 50 species, four of which are widely cultivated for their superior fiber quality. First, this review provides a summary of the phylogey of Gossypium, including genomic features of diploid and allotetraploid species. Second, we detail the origin of all Gossypium species and the human-mediated introduction of G. arboreum, G. herbaceum, G. barbadense, G. hirsutum, and G. harknessii species into new areas. This review highlights the need for continued research into the genetic diversity and adaptive mechanisms of cotton to enhance its sustainable production worldwide.

In arid and semi-arid regions, salinity and drought limit cotton productivity. As the northernmost cotton-growing country, Kazakhstan often deals with these issues. The objective of this study was to classify salt- and drought-tolerant groups within the Kazakhstan cotton collection based on key phenotypic traits. Fifty-six Gossypium hirsutum genotypes were evaluated under controlled conditions using NaCl and PEG-6000. Six morphophysiological traits, including germination rate, plant height, fresh weight, root dry weight, and relative water content, were analyzed. Increasing NaCl and PEG levels reduced vegetative growth, while germination remained relatively stable under moderate stress. Regression analysis identified 200 mM NaCl as the optimal salinity level for salt tolerance and 20–30% PEG as the optimal level for drought tolerance. Cluster analysis using membership function values grouped the genotypes into five tolerance categories. Eight lines including M-4016-6, M-4031-8, M-4014-6, M-4029-9, M-4016-7, M-4016-8, M-4020-2, and M-4016-4 exhibited high tolerance to both stresses. Additional lines exhibited combined tolerance, indicating strong breeding potential. Principal component analysis revealed an inverse relationship between salt and drought tolerance, suggesting stress-specific adaptation. This study is the first to report on the development of a classification system for salt and drought tolerance in the Kazakhstan Cotton Collection. The results demonstrate substantial genetic variability and highlight the potential for developing cotton cultivars adapted environments prone to stress.

Tulipa alberti is an important plant species used for ornamental purposes in Asia, Europe, and North Africa. This study reports the complete chloroplast genome features of this endangered species collected from Kazakhstan using Illumina sequencing technology. The results revealed that the T. alberti chloroplast genome is highly conserved. The genome size is 152,006 bp, comprising a pair of inverted repeats (IR) of 26,330 bp, a large single-copy (LSC) region of 82,169 bp, and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 17,172 bp. The overall GC content is 36.58%. A total of 131 genes were identified, including 85 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Twenty-eight genes contained introns with lengths ranging from 540 to 2,620 bp. The nucleotide diversity (π) was 0.003257. Analysis of simple sequence repeats (SSR) identified 159 SSR loci in the T. alberti genome, mainly distributed in the LSC region (63.19%), SSC region (18.39%), and IR region (14.37%). Six types of SSR motifs (mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, and hexanucleotides) were detected. The most polymorphic protein-coding (CDS) genes were rpoC2, cemA, rbcL, rpl36, psbH, rps3, rpl22, ndhF, ycf1, and matK, which exhibited high sequence variability (SV = 2.581–6.102) and nucleotide diversity (π = 0.004–0.010). Relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis revealed both preferred and less frequently used codons. The characterization of the T. alberti chloroplast genome provides valuable insights into the conservation of genetic resources, evolutionary and phylogenetic relationships of this rare species. However, to date, data on the complete sequencing and comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of the chloroplast genome of T. alberti remain limited. This study contributes to biodiversity preservation in Kazakhstan and offers a basis for developing effective conservation strategies at the molecular level.

Salinity stress is one of the most critical abiotic factors adversely affecting cotton (Gossypium hirsutumL.) productivity, particularly during the early stages of growth such as germination and seedling development. In the present study, a NaCl concentration of 200 mM was identified as optimal for effectively differentiating salt tolerance among cotton lines. Seven key morphological and physiological traits—such as germination rate, root length, shoot length, fresh and dry biomass—were evaluated and found to be reliable indicators for assessing genetic diversity under salt stress conditions. A total of 56 cotton lines from the Kazakhstan cotton collection were analyzed and classified into five phenotypic groups: highly susceptible, susceptible, moderately tolerant, tolerant, and highly tolerant. Population structure and phylogenetic analyses, based on SSR markers, revealed four distinct genetic clusters, reflecting the hybridization background of the genotypes. Furthermore, significant associations between specific SSR markers and salt tolerance traits were identified through association mapping. These findingsprovide important insights into the genetic architecture of salinity tolerance and will facilitate marker-assisted selection in cotton breeding programs aimed at developing salt-tolerant cultivars.

Upland cotton (G. hirsutum L.) is one of the world’s most important commercial fiber crops. The Turkestan region of Kazakhstan is the world’s northernmost cotton-growing region. A four-year field experiment was conducted at the experimental station of the LLP “Agricultural experimental station of cotton and melon growing” from 2021 to 2024. A total of750 lines of G. hirsutum were studied based on phenological, morphological, and agronomic traits. A total of 8 hectares was dedicated to the experiment. The soil comprises light sierozems, which include low humus content, high carbonate content, and relatively low absorption capacity. The study was conducted under average temperatures of 22.9 °C and precipitation totals from 0.9 to 71 mm in 2021–2024. Results revealed significant differences among these years for all studied traits (p < 0.001). According to the average membership function values of 13 traits, the cluster heat map indicated a clear separation into groups, such as low-yielding and late-maturing accessions, and high-yielding and early-maturing accessions. Overall, 41 accessions out of 750 accessions were selected as early-maturing and high-yielding from the 2021–2024 period. This study is the first report on the development of a classification system based on more valuable phenological, morphological, and agronomic traits in the Kazakhstan Cotton Collection. The results demonstrate substantial genetic variability and highlight the potential for developing cotton cultivars adapted to stress-prone environments.