Abstract: 【Objective】 To identify COR genes that mediated the tolerance to low temperature in cotton by analyzing expressing pattern of COR gene family members and VIGS gene silencing technology. 【Method】The real-time PCR was performed to analyze the transcriptional level of CORs in response to low temperature stress in cotton, as well as phenotype of the COR gene silenced cotton seedlings by virus induced gene silencing system (VIGS). 【Result】 The real-time PCR results showed that the mRNA accumulation of a COR gene (GenBank ID Gh_D12G0215) was induced by low temperatures and increased with the extended time of low temperature treatment, which the mRNA accumulation level was 9 folds of control plants at 48 h time point. On the contrary, the expression of another COR gene member (GenBank ID Gh_D06G0147) was suppressed in response to low temperature although there was an initially up-regulated expression at 3h time-point after low temperature treatment. For the rest COR family members, their mRNA accumulation showed no significant difference compared with the control. Meanwhile, the candidate COR gene member Gh_D12G0215 was silenced and treated with low temperature to confirm its function in the regulation of low temperature. By comparing growing condition with the non-silenced plants, the Gh_D12G0215 silenced plants showed less tolerance to low temperature, indicating that the Gh_D12G0215 may play a role in resistance to low temperature. 【Conclusion】 The mRNA accumulation of some COR genes were induced by low temperature stress, and one of them may play a role in regulation of low temperature stress pathway.