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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #316087
Title: Water stress and foliar boron application altered seed nutrition in near-isogenic cotton lines expressing fuzzy and fuzzless seed phenotypes

Author
item Bellaloui, Nacer
item Turley, Rickie
item Stetina, Salliana - Sally

Submitted to: PLOS ONE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/22/2015
Publication Date: 6/22/2015
Citation: Bellaloui, N., Turley, R.B., Stetina, S.R. 2015. Water stress and foliar boron application altered seed nutrition in near-isogenic cotton lines expressing fuzzy and fuzzless seed phenotypes. PLoS One. 10(6):e0130759.

Interpretive Summary: Cotton is an important crop in the world and is a major source of oil for human consumption and cotton meal for livestock. Protein, oil, and minerals in cottonseed are important components of seed quality. The objective of the current research was to evaluate the effects boron application and water stress on boron and seed nutrients in normal and fuzzless cotton lines in a repeated greenhouse experiment. Under well-watered conditions without boron application, the concentrations of seed oil in fuzzless lines were higher than in normal lines, and seed potassium and nitrogen levels were lower in fuzzless lines than in normal lines. Under water stress conditions, more than 90% of the boron in the plant was in the cell wall, and it was higher in fuzzless lines than in normal lines, supporting the structural role of boron in plants. Foliar boron application resulted in higher seed protein and oil. Cotton breeders selecting for higher seed oil and protein should consider fuzzless lines in their breeding programs, and growers should consider boron application for higher seed protein and oil.

Technical Abstract: Previous research, conducted under well-watered conditions without fertilizer application showed that fuzzy cottonseed trait resulted in cottonseed nutrient differences between fuzzy (F) and fuzzless (N) cottonseed, probably due to the involvement of carbon metabolism and energy use in fuzz fiber development. The objective of the current research was to evaluate the stability effects of the fuzz trait on seed nutrients under different environments (water stress and foliar boron, B, application), using near-isogenic cotton lines (NILs) grown in a repeated greenhouse experiment. Foliar B was applied at a rate of 1.8 kg B ha-1 as H3BO3. One group of plants was grown under well-watered conditions (W) with and without foliar B, and the other half was grown under water stress (WS) with and without foliar B. Under well-watered conditions without B the concentrations of seed oil in N lines were higher than in F lines, and seed K and N levels were lower in N lines than in F lines. Concentrations of K, N, and B in leaves were higher in N lines than in F lines, opposing the trend in seeds. In well-watered with foliar B, similar trend was observed. Under water-stress conditions, the trend of protein, oil, and minerals in seed and leaves between N and F lines were different from those observed under well-watered with or without B, indicating that water stress can alter the level and trend of seed and leaf nutrients. Under water stress conditions, the contribution of cell wall B to the total B exceeded 90%, and it was higher in N lines than in F lines, supporting the structural role of B in plants. The current research demonstrated that although fuzzless seed cotton had higher lint yield, there is a possible use of fuzzless cottonseed as a source of protein, oil, and minerals. The higher oil concentrations in fuzzless seed vs. fuzzy seed may be due to carbon metabolism and fuzz fiber development. This research is beneficial to cotton breeders to consider fuzzless seed cotton to select for higher seed oil and protein, and to growers to consider foliar B application for higher protein and oil.