Ecological regionalization of cotton fiber quality in the Northwest Inland Region using GGE analysis

This paper analyzed the distribution characteristics of cotton fiber quality using environmental materials from 7 sites of early-maturing and 10 sites of medium-early maturing cotton of regional trials in the Northwest Inland in China during 2005–2014. Using the GGE model to draw biplots, cotton fiber quality performance and environmental interaction patterns and the correlation between spinning consistency index and fiber trait were explored, and the GGE biplot method was also used to zone potential ecological sub-regions. The aim of the study was to provide the basis for regional cultivation of cotton varieties, and the ideal experimental environment in the Northwest Inland for improving cotton fiber and yarn quality in the country. The research results showed that cotton fiber quality traits were correlated with each other. The spinning consistency index significantly positively correlated with fiber length, strength and index uniformity. The cultivation regions were divided into three ecological sub-regions based on cotton fiber quality in the early maturing cotton cultivation area. These sub-regions included the high quality cotton fiber ecological sub-region (i.e. Jinghe), the common high quality fiber ecological sub-region (Sixth Divisions of Agricultural Production and Construction Corps in Xinjiang, i.e., ACD6 and Usu City) and the common fiber ecological sub-region (Dunhuang, 125 Tuan of ACD7, 121 Tuan of ACD8 and Shihezi). The medium-early maturing cotton cultivation area in the Northwest Inland was also divided into three sub-regions. They were the high quality cotton fiber ecological sub-region (Yarkand, Luntai, Bazhou, Kuqa, Shufu, 13 Tuan and 10 Tuan Tahe of Alaer ACD1), the common high quality fiber ecological sub-region (Maigaiti and Kashi of ACD3) and the common fiber ecological sub-region (Aksu). It was therefore important to cultivate the early maturing cotton with good comprehensive quality traits, and to improve fiber length and strength in the early maturing cotton cultivation area of the Northwest Inland. In the medium-early maturing cotton region, cotton varieties with specific length and strength suitable for mechanical weaving requirements should be cultivated, and the harvest time also should be reasonable to increase fiber maturity and reduced micro-naire. Regionalization of optimized cultivation area for cotton spinning requirements could provide multi-level raw cotton materials in the Northwest Inland.