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Title: CARBOHYDRATE PROFILES DURING COTTON FLORAL BUD (SQUARE) DEVELOPMENT

Author
item TARPLEY, LEE - TEXAS A&M AGR
item Sassenrath, Gretchen

Submitted to: Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/31/2006
Publication Date: 5/2/2006
Citation: Tarpley, L., Sassenrath, G.F. 2006. Carbohydrate profiles during cotton floral bud (square) development. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science. 192:363-372

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The showy corolla of the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) flower expands rapidly, then senesces quickly after opening, often by the afternoon following anthesis. This rapid flowering and subsequent fruit developement require substantial energy resources. These energy requirements may come from newly imported sugars, or the breakdown of stored carbohydrates. Following anthesis, these carbohydrates could be redistributed to the developing ovary or other floral parts, contributing to the development of the cotton seed and lint. This study examined carbohydrate composition in developing cotton fruits around time of anthesis in order to dtermine if an increase in soluble sugar concentration occurs during anthesis. A sizeable increase in sugar concentration could increase the water imported to the expanding cotton corolla through a decreased osmotic potential. Following anthesis, the nonstructural carbohydrates of the senescing corolla were measured to dtermine their potential to be recycled to the developing ovary or other floral parts. Soluble sugars and starch of floral buds and flowers of field-grown cotton plants were determined at intervals bridging anthesis. The buds contained much more soluble sugar than starch. Sucrose and its hydrolysis products, but not starch hydrolysis, contributed to an increase in soluble sugars during corolla expansion. The water concentration was constant throughout expansion, suggesting that sucrose import and hydrolysis are coordinated with other driving forces of expansion. The soluble-sugar content of the flowers declined sharply during senescence. Although remobilization from the flower to other plant parts could partially explain this decline, the potential contribution of salvaged sugars from non-ovary flower parts to the other ovary is arguably small. This study documents that sucrose and its hydrolysis products increase rapidly during cotton floral bud development, and probably contribute to petal expansion.