Heat stress causes major losses to cotton seed and lint yield. Introduction of heat stress tolerance to Arkansas cotton varieties is highly desirable. However, very little is known about the molecular basis of heat stress tolerance in cotton. The present study attempted to identify heat stress tolerance genes in two heat-tolerant cotton cultivars compared with two heat-susceptible cotton cultivars. In addition, physiological parameters were studied to analyze the correlation between gene expression and physiological data.

Jin Zhang, PhD: Studied Materials Engineering at DeakinUniversity. Research Fellow at Centre for Material and FibreInnovation, Geelong, Australia; Bronwyn Fox, PhD: StudiedAerospace Composites at Australian National University. SeniorLecturer at Centre for Material and Fibre Innovation, Geelong,Australia.