The researchers tested 16 types of cotton plants to see how well they could handle drought conditions. They measured 18 different factors like water content, photosynthesis, and enzyme activity to find out which ones were most important for drought resistance. By analyzing the data, they found nine key factors that can predict how well a cotton plant will survive drought. They classified the cotton plants into four groups based on their drought resistance levels. They also tested two specific cotton plants in pots and found that one was good at surviving drought while the other was not. This study helps identify which cotton plants are best suited for dry conditions.