Molecular cloning and functional characterization of a novel cotton CBL-interacting protein kinase gene (GhCIPK6) reveals its involvement in multiple abiotic stress tolerance in transgenic plants.

•GhCIPK6 is a novel cotton CBL-interacting protein kinase gene, exhibiting the same family signature.•GhCIPK6 was isolated from a RNA-Seq profile of stress-induced somatic embryogenesis in cotton.•Expression of the GhCIPK6 gene was induced by salt, drought and ABA treatments.•GhCIPK6-overexpression plant exhibited the tolerance to salt, drought and ABA stresses.•Overexpression of GhCIPK6 activated CBL/CIPK mediated stress response signalling pathways.