From Single to Combined Stresses: New Advances and Breeding Strategies for Multi-Stress Tolerance in Cotton

Global warming exacerbates the co-occurrence of multiple stresses, such as high temperature, drought, and pests, thereby severely threatening the sustainable production of cotton. Here, we review the effects of individual biotic stresses (e.g., bollworm, cotton aphid, and fungal diseases) and abiotic stresses (e.g., drought, salinization, and temperature extremes) on cotton growth and highlight recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying cotton responses to these stresses. We then discuss how the effects of combined stresses may differ from those of individual stresses and provide suggestions for future research on combined-stress tolerance in cotton. Finally, we highlight recent technological advances that can facilitate genotype design and breeding of stress-resilient cotton.