High-temperature and drought-resilience traits among interspecific chromosome substitution lines for genetic improvement of Upland cotton

Authors: REDDY, K. - Mississippi State University; BHEEMANAHALLI, RAJU - Mississippi State University; Saha, Sukumar; LOKHANDE, SURESH - Mississippi State University; Read, John; Jenkins, Johnie; RASKA, DWAINE - Texas A&M University; DE SANTIAGO, LUIS - Texas A&M University; HULSE-KEMP, AMANDA - Texas A&M University; VAUGHN, ROBERT - Texas A&M University; STELLY, DAVID - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: Plants
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/7/2020
Publication Date: 12/10/2020
Citation: Reddy, K.R., Bheemanahalli, R., Saha, S., Lokhande, S.B., Read, J.J., Jenkins, J.N., Raska, D.A., De Santiago, L., Hulse-Kemp, A.M., Vaughn, R.N., Stelly, D.M. 2020. High-temperature and drought-resilience traits among interspecific chromosome substitution lines for genetic improvement of Upland cotton. Plants. 9:1747. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9121747.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9121747

Interpretive Summary: Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) growth and development during the pre- and post-flowering stages are especially susceptible to high temperature and drought. Chromosome substitution (CS) from wild species and unadapted germplasms provided scope for infusions of economically important traits from donor wild species and unadapted germplasm into true-breeding lines that enable replicated experimentation to discover genetic effects on traits of importance. Here, we report field-based characterization of multiple morpho-physiological and reproductive stress resilience traits in 11 interspecific CS lines isogenic to each other and the inbred parent TM-1. Based on stress response index of different physiological and reproductive traits, three CS lines (CS-T07, CS-B15sh and CS-B18) are identified as heat and drought-tolerant lines. These three lines had a positive effect on photosynthesis (14%), stomatal conductance (29%), transpiration (13%) and pollen germination response (23.6%) compared to TM-1 under field conditions and therefore, are expected to perform better than TM-1 under southern United States environments. The generated phenotypic data and stress-tolerance indices on novel CS lines, along with phenotypic methods, could help to develop novel climate-smart cotton genotypes against the threat of global warming.

Technical Abstract: Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) growth and development during the pre- and post-flowering stages are susceptible to high temperature and drought. We report the field-based characterization of multiple morpho-physiological and reproductive stress resilience traits in 11 interspecific chromosome substitution (CS) lines isogenic to each other and the inbred G. hirsutum line TM-1. Significant genetic variability was detected (p < 0.001) in multiple traits in CS lines carrying chromosomes and chromosome segments from CS-B (G. barbadense) and CS-T (G. tomentosum). Line CS-T15sh had a positive effect on photosynthesis (13%), stomatal conductance (33%), and transpiration (24%), and a canopy 6.8 °C cooler than TM-1. The average germination was approximately 8% greater among the CS-B than CS-T lines. Based on the stress response index, three CS lines are identified as heat and drought-tolerant (CS-T07, CS-B15sh, and CS-B18). The three lines enhanced photosynthesis (14%), stomatal conductance (29%), transpiration (13%), and pollen germination response (23.6%) compared to TM-1 under field conditions, i.e., traits that would expectedly enhance performance in high-stress environments. The generated phenotypic data and stress-tolerance indices on novel CS lines, along with phenotypic methods, could promote the development of new cultivars with enhanced resilience to the effects of global warming.