Keywords:
- cotton
- heat stress
- climate change
- threshold-based analysis
- physiological comfort
- Critical Stress Balance (CSB) index
- agrometeorology
Abstract
The increasing frequency of extremely high temperatures associated with climate change is exerting adverse effects on cotton productivity and physiological processes. This study assessed the degree of heat stress in cotton using three-hourly agrometeorological data collected during 2014-2024 in the Kurgantepa district of the Andijan region. In the analysis, the temperature range of 25-32°C was defined as the Physiological Comfort Interval (CH), while temperatures exceeding 35°C were classified as the Heat Stress Interval (HSH). The indicators of Physiological Comfort Time and the Critical Stress Balance (CSB) Index were employed to evaluate thermal stress conditions. The results revealed that the highest intensity of heat stress occurred during June and July, particularly between 14:00 and 17:00 hours. The reduction in the duration of the comfort interval and the decline in Critical Stress Balance (CSB) values during the flowering and boll formation stages indicate an increased risk of high-temperature damage to the reproductive processes of cotton plants. The findings provide an important scientific basis for assessing physiological stress in cotton, forecasting productivity, and improving adaptive agronomic management practices under climate change conditions.
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