Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mississippi State, Mississippi » Crop Science Research Laboratory » Genetics and Sustainable Agriculture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #163059
Title: POTENTIAL OF PRIMITIVE ACCESSIONS FOR COTTON IMPROVEMENT

Author
item McCarty, Jack
item Jenkins, Johnie
item WU, JIXIANG - MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Technical Bulletin
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2005
Publication Date: 4/1/2005
Citation: McCarty Jr., J.C., Jenkins, J.N., Wu, J. 2005. Potential of primitive accessions for cotton improvement. Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Technical Bulletin 1141. 22 p.

Interpretive Summary: Cotton is an important crop that is grown for its fiber and seed. Yield and fiber quality need to be improved to ensure its economic success. The collection of primitive accessions of cotton offers genetic variability for trait improvement; however, since flowering for most of these accessions is day-length dependent they are not readily useable in breeding programs. Day length-neutral flowering lines have been developed for many accessions. This study involved 114 day-neutral derived lines and their progeny from crosses with two commercial cultivars. Field trials were conducted during 2001 and 2002 and yield, yield components and fiber quality traits were measured. The yield for most of the second generation progeny was not superior to that of the commercial cultivars due in part to primitive-derived lines having low lint percentages. Most of the second generation progeny had finer and stronger fiber than the cultivars. These day-neutral lines are a new source of genetic diversity that offers the potential to improve fiber traits among cultivars.

Technical Abstract: Cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., is an economically important crop that is grown for its fiber and seed. The improvement of yield, yield components and fiber quality are needed to ensure its economic viability. The collection of primitive accessions of cotton offers a wealth of genetic variability for trait improvement; however, since most of these accessions are photoperiodic they are not readily useable in breeding programs. Day-neutral lines have been developed for many accessions. The study reported here involved crossing 114 day-neutral derived lines as male parents with two commercial cultivars, Stoneville 474 and Sure-Grow 747. Parents and F2-bulks were grown in field plots during 2001 and 2002 and yield, yield components and fiber traits were determined. The yield for most of the F2-bulks was not superior to that of the high yielding cultivars. All primitive-derived lines had low lint percentage that must be considered when they are used as sources to develop improved cultivars. Most of the F2-bulks had finer and stronger fiber than the cultivars. These day-neutral derived accessions are a new source of genetic diversity that offers the potential to improve fiber traits among cultivars.