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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Wind Erosion and Water Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #253596
Title: Cotton source/sink relationships

Author
item BAKER, DONALD - Baker Consulting
item Baker, Jeffrey

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/4/2006
Publication Date: 11/1/2009
Citation: Baker, D.N., Baker, J.T. 2009. Cotton source/sink relationships. In: McD. Stewart, J, Oosterhui, D.M., Heitholt, J.J., Mauney, J.R., editors. Physiology of Cotton. Netherlands: Springer. p. 80-96.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Metabolite source/sink relationships govern assimilate partitioning, developmental rates and fruit abscission in cotton. This subject is, therefore, of primary importance in the improvement of cotton plant types and in cotton culture. Historically, cotton has been among the most valuable of agronomic crops, and thus, comparatively large resources have been available for physiological studies. A vast cotton physiology literature exists - far more than can be outlined in this chapter. A single treatise, edited by Mauney and Stewart, (1986) contains 786 pages, and 40 chapters by 51 authors. Cotton is an indeterminate fruiting woody perennial (Baker and Landivar, 1991) usually cultured as an annual crop and although it is often grown in humid areas it is classified as a xerophyte. Mauney and Stewart (1986) comment that cotton does not readily yield its secrets and they note that some scientists have become so frustrated by it that they have abandoned cotton research altogether while others have become so fascinated by it that they would never again work on any other crop. Here, we focus on research which has led to an understanding of metabolite source/sink interactions and secondary physiological effects resulting from those interactions. Much of this research has been done in controlled environments and some of it has been aimed at the development and testing of crop simulation models.