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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mississippi State, Mississippi » Crop Science Research Laboratory » Genetics and Sustainable Agriculture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #120953

Title: REGISTRATION OF 16 DAY-NEUTRAL PRIMITIVE COTTON GERMPLASM LINES

Author
item McCarty, Jack
item Jenkins, Johnie

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/17/2002
Publication Date: 10/1/2002
Citation: MCCARTY JR, J.C., JENKINS, J.N. REGISTRATION OF 16 DAY-NEUTRAL PRIMITIVE COTTON GERMPLASM LINES. CROP SCIENCE. 2002. v.42.p.1755-1756.

Interpretive Summary: Cotton yield, quality and stress tolerance needs improvement. Genetic variability for these desirable traits is required. The cotton collection of primitive accessions contains a wealth of genetic variability; however, the flowering response of many of the accessions is day-length dependent. The failure to flower and set fruit under the long-day regime of the growing season is a major hurdle to the utilization of most primitive cotton germplasm. Accessions have been converted to day-neutrality, which do not require short days to initiate flowering, utilizing a backcross breeding approach. Useful genetic variability has been measured in the day-neutral lines for agronomic and fiber traits. These day-neutral accessions are available to improve cotton and to expand its genetic base.

Technical Abstract: The improvement of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., requires genetic variability for desirable traits. This variability may extend from primitive or exotic species to commonly grown cultivars. The cotton collection of primitive accessions contains a wealth of genetic variability; however, many of the accessions are photoperiodic. The photoperiod response and failure to flower and set fruit under the long-day regime of the temperate-zone growing seasons is a major hurdle to the utilization of most primitive cotton germplasm. Sixteen accessions have been converted to day-neutrality utilizing a backcross breeding approach. Useful genetic variability has been measured in the day-neutral lines for agronomic and fiber traits. The day neutral accessions are now available for use in cotton breeding programs.