Effects of interspecific chromosome substitution in upland cotton on cottonseed micronutrients

Authors: Bellaloui, Nacer; Saha, Sukumar; Tonos, Jennifer; Scheffler, Jodi; Jenkins, Johnie; McCarty, Jack; STELLY, DAVID - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: Plants
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/18/2020
Publication Date: 8/23/2020
Citation: Bellaloui, N., Saha, S., Tonos, J.L., Scheffler, J.A., Jenkins, J.N., McCarty Jr, J.C., Stelly, D.M. 2020. Effects of interspecific chromosome substitution in upland cotton on cottonseed micronutrients. Plants. 9(9):1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091081.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091081

Interpretive Summary: Micronutrients are essential for seed crop yield and quality, and important for human health nutrition and livestock feed quality. Therefore, discovery of novel cotton lines with higher micronutrient content in seeds is critical. Currently, there is no information available on the effects of chromosome substitution (CS) cotton lines on cottonseed micronutrient content. The CS lines, which resulted from a cross between cultivated cotton and wild cotton species, have one or more chromosomes from the wild cotton substituted in place of the chromosomes normally found in cultivated cotton. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of chromosome or segment of chromosome on levels of micronutrients born, iron, copper, zinc, and nickel in cottonseed. Nine CS lines were grown in two-field experiments at two locations (in 2013 in South Carolina, USA; and in 2014 in Mississippi, USA). The results showed that some CS lines exhibited higher micronutrients in both locations compared to controls. For example, cottonseed line CS-T02 had higher copper concentrations, line CS-T04 had higher iron, and line CS-T04 had higher manganese concentrations. To our knowledge this is the first report on the effects of chromosome substitution on cottonseed micronutrients. This research contributes to the identification of cotton lines with higher micronutrient levels that can be used by cotton breeders to develop cotton lines with improved food and feed quality.

Technical Abstract: Micronutrients are essential for plant growth and development, and important for human health nutrition and livestock feed. Therefore, discovery of novel germplasm with significant variability or higher micronutrients content in crop seeds is critical. Currently, there is no information available on the effects of chromosome or chromosome arm substitution in cotton on cottonseed micronutrients. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of chromosome or chromosome arm substitution on the variability and levels of micronutrients B, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Ni in cottonseed in chromosome substitution (CS) cotton lines. Nine CS lines were grown in two-field experiments at two locations (in 2013 in South Carolina, USA; and in 2014 in Mississippi, USA). TM-1 (the recurrent parent of the CS line) and AM UA48 (cultivar) were used as control. The results showed significant variability among CS lines compared to the controls AM UA48 and TM-1. For example, in South Carolina, B concentration in cottonseed ranged from 10.35 mg kg-1 in CS-M02 to 13.67 mg kg-1 in CS-T04. The concentration of Cu ranged from 4.81 mg kg-1 in CS-B08sh to 7.65 mg kg-1 in CS-T02, and CS-T02 was higher than both controls. The concentration of Fe ranged from 36.09 mg kg-1 to 56.69 mg kg-1 (an increase up to 57%), and six CS lines CS-B02, CS-B08sh, CS-M02, CS-M04, CS-T02, and CS-T04 had higher concentration than both controls in 2013. In 2014 at Mississippi location, similar observation was found with CS lines for micronutrients content. The CS lines with higher concentrations of these micronutrients can be used as a genetic tool towards QTL identification for desired seed traits because these lines are genetically similar with TM-1, except the substituted chromosome or chromosome segment pairs from the alien species. The CS lines provide an effective way of upland cotton improvement by targeted interspecific introgression of valuable seed traits such as cottonseed micronutritional qualities for B, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn with reduced genetic drag effects of undesirable traits from the alien species. The positive correlation between B, Cu, and Fe at both locations and between Ni and Mn; between Zn and Cu; and between Zn and Ni at both locations signify the importance of a good agricultural and fertilizer management of these nutrients to maintain higher cottonseed nutrients content.