Jack C. McCarty

An RFLP linkage map of Upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L.

Abstract Ninety-six F2.F3 bulked sampled plots of Upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., from the cross of HS46×MARCABUCAG8US-1-88, were analyzed with 129 probe/enzyme combinations resulting in 138 RFLP loci. Of the 84 loci that segregated as co-dominant, 76 of these fit a normal 1 :  2 : 1 ratio (non-significant chi square at P=0.05). Of the 54 loci that segregated as dominant genotypes, 50 of these fit a normal 3: 1 ratio (non-significant chi square at P=0.05). These 138 loci were analyzed with the MAPMAKER∖ EXP program to determine linkage relationships among them. There were 120 loci arranged into 31 linkage groups. These covered 865 cM, or an estimated 18.6% of the cotton genome. The linkage groups ranged from two to ten loci each and ranged in size from 0.5 to 107 cM. Eighteen loci were not linked.

Evaluation of genetic variances, heritabilities, and correlations for yield and fiber traits among cotton F2 hybrid populations

SummaryF2 hybrid cultivars continue to occupy a small portion of the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production are in the United States, but occupy a larger proportion of the production area in some other countries. Sixty-four F2 hybrids resulting from crosses of four commercial cultivars and 16 pest-resistant germplasm lines were evaluated for five fiber and four yield traits in four environments at Mississippi State, MS. An additive-dominance genetic model was employed for these traits. The minimum norm quadratic unbiased estimation (MINQUE) method was used with a mixed model approach for estimating genetic variance and covariance components and for predicting genetic correlations. This study investigated genetic variances, heritabilities, and genetic and phenotypic correlations between agronomic and fiber traits among these 64 F2 hybrid populations and discussed the usefulness of these populations for use as hybrids or for selections for pure lines.Dominance variance accounted for the major proportion of the phenotypic variances for lint yield, lint percentage, and boll size indicating that hybrids should have an advantage for these traits compared to pure lines. A low proportion of additive variance for fiber traits and the significant additive x environment variance components indicated a lack of substantial useful additive genetic variability for fiber traits. This suggests that selections for pure lines within these F2 populations would have limited success in improving fiber traits. Genetic and phenotypic correlation coefficients were of comparable magnitude for most pairs of characters. Fiber strength showed a positive additive genetic correlation with boll weight. Dominance genetic correlations of fiber strength with elongation and 2.5% span length were also significant and positive; however, the additive genetic correlation of length and strength was zero.

Effects of Chromosome-Specific Introgression in Upland Cotton on Fiber and Agronomic Traits

Interspecific chromosome substitution is among the most powerful means of introgression and steps toward quantitative trait locus (QTL) identification. By reducing the genetic “noise” from other chromosomes, it greatly empowers the detection of genetic effects by specific chromosomes on quantitative traits. Here, we report on such results for 14 cotton lines (CS-B) with specific chromosomes or chromosome arms from G. barbadense L. substituted into G. hirsutum and chromosome-specific F2 families. Boll size, lint percentage, micronaire, 2.5% span length, elongation, strength, and yield were measured by replicated field experiments in five diverse environments and analyzed under an additive–dominance (AD) genetic model with genotype and environment interaction. Additive effects were significant for all traits and dominance effects were significant for all traits except 2.5% span length. CS-B25 had additive effects increasing fiber strength and fiber length and decreasing micronaire. CS-B16 and CS-B18 had additive effects related to reduced yields. The results point toward specific chromosomes of G. barbadense 3-79 as the probable locations of the genes that significantly affect quantitative traits of importance. Our results provided a scope to analyze individual chromosomes of the genome in homozygous and heterozygous conditions and thus detected novel effects of alleles controlling important QTL.

Introgression genetics and breeding between Upland and Pima cotton: a review

The narrow genetic base of elite Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) germplasm has been a significant impediment to sustained progress in the development of cotton cultivars to meet the needs of growers and industry in recent years. The prospect of widening the genetic base of Upland cotton by accessing the genetic diversity and fiber quality of Pima cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) has encouraged interspecific hybridization and introgression efforts for the past century. However, success is limited due mainly to genetic barriers between the two species in the forms of divergent gene regulatory systems, accumulated gene mutations, gene order rearrangements and cryptic chromosomal structure differences that have resulted in hybrid breakdown, hybrid sterility and selective elimination of genes. The objective of this paper is to provide a mini-review in interspecific hybridization between Upland and Pima cotton relevant to breeding under the following sections: (1) qualitative genetics; (2) cytogenetic stocks; (3) quantitative genetics; (4) heterosis, and (5) introgression breeding. Case studies of successful examples are provided.

QTLs for node of first fruiting branch in a cross of an upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., cultivar with primitive accession Texas 701

Primitive cottons (Gossypium spp.) represent resources for genetic improvement. Most primitive accessions are photoperiod sensitive; they do not flower under the long days of the U.S. cotton belt. Molecular markers were used to locate quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for node of first fruiting branch (NFB), a trait closely related to flowering time in cotton. An F2 population consisted of 251 plants from the cross of a day neutral cultivar Deltapine 61, and a photoperiod sensitive accession Texas 701, were used in this study. Segregation in the population revealed the complex characteristics of NFB. Interval mapping and multiple QTL mapping were used to determine QTLs contributing to NFB. Three significant QTLs were mapped to chromosome 16, 21, and 25; two suggestive QTLs were mapped to chromosome 15 and 16. Four markers associated with these QTLs accounted for 33% of the variation in NFB by single and multiple-marker regression analyses. Two pairs of epistasis interaction between markers were detected. Our results suggested that at least three chromosomes contain factors associated with flowering time for this population with epistasis interactions between chromosomes. This research represent the first flowering time QTL mapping in cotton. Makers associated with flowering time may have the potential to facilitate day neutral conversion of accessions.

Use of fiber and fuzz mutants to detect QTL for yield components, seed, and fiber traits of upland cotton

This research detected QTL or molecular markers associated with yield, fiber, and seed traits within multiple fuzz and fiber loci genetic backgrounds. Two F2 populations from crosses of MD17, a fuzzless-lintless line containing three fuzzless loci, N1, n2 and a postulated n3, with line 181, fuzzless-linted and with FM966, a fuzzy-linted cultivar, were used. QTL explaining 68.3 (population with FM966) to 87.1% (population with 181) of the phenotypic variation for lint percentage and 62.8% (population with 181) for lint index were detected in the vicinity of BNL3482-138 on chromosome 26. Single marker regression analyses indicated STV79-108, on the long arm of chromosome 12 had significant association with lint percentage (R2 26.7%), lint index (R2 30.6%), embryo protein percentage (R2 15.4%) and micronaire (R2 20.0%). Two-locus epistatic interactions were also observed. Results from this research will facilitate further understanding the complex mechanisms of yield, fiber, and seed traits of cotton.

Genetic variance components and genetic effects among eleven diverse upland cotton lines and their F2 hybrids.

Selecting high yielding upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. lines with improved fiber quality is a primary breeding goal. A diverse set of ten cultivars and one breeding line were crossed in a half diallel. Parents and F2 hybrids were grown in three environments at Mississippi State, MS. Ten agronomic and fiber traits were analyzed by a mixed linear model approach based on the additive-dominance genetic model. Variance component, genetic effects and genetic correlations were calculated. ‘Acala Ultima’ was a desirable general combiner for fiber length, uniformity, strength, micronaire, lint percentage, and boll weight. ‘FiberMax 966’ was a desirable general combiner for fiber length, uniformity, strength, and all agronomic traits. ‘Tamcot Pyramid’ and M240 were poor general combiners for both fiber and agronomic traits. ‘Coker 315’ was a good general combiner for fiber length, uniformity, micronaire, boll weight, boll number, and yield. Heterozygous dominance effects were associated with several crosses, which suggest their use as hybrids.

An additive-dominance model to determine chromosomal effects in chromosome substitution lines and other gemplasms

When using chromosome substitution (CS) lines in a crop breeding improvement program, one needs to separate the effects of the substituted chromosome from the remaining chromosomes. This cannot be done with the traditional additive-dominance (AD) model where CS lines, recurrent parent, and their hybrids are used. In this study, we develop a new genetic model and software, called a modified AD model with genotype × environment interactions, which can predict additive and dominance genetic effects attributed to a substituted alien chromosome in a CS line as well as the overall genetic effects of the non-substituted chromosomes. In addition, this model will predict the additive and dominance effects of the same chromosome of interest (i.e. chromosome 25 of cotton in this study) in an inbred line, as well as the effects of the remaining chromosomes in the inbred line. The model requires a CS line, its recurrent parent and their F1 and/or F2 hybrids between the substitution lines and several inbred lines. Monte Carlo simulation results showed that genetic variance components were estimated with no or slight bias when we considered this modified AD model as random. The correlation coefficient between predicted effects and true effects due to the chromosomes of interest varied from zero to greater than 0.90 and it was positively relative to the difference between the CS line and the recurrent line. To illustrate the use of this new genetic model, an upland cotton, Gossypium hirsusum L, CS line (CS-B25), TM-1 (the recurrent parent), five elite cultivars, and the F2 hybrids from test-crossing these two lines with the five elite cultivars were grown in two environments in Mississippi. Agronomic and fiber data were collected and analyzed. The results showed that the CS line, CS-B25, which has chromosome 25 from line 3 to 79, Gossypium barbadense substituted into TM-1, had positive genetic associations with several fiber traits. We also determined that Chromosome 25 from FiberMax 966 had significantly positive associations with fiber length and strength; whereas, chromosome 25 from TM-1 and SureGrow 747 had detectable negative genetic effects on fiber strength. The new model will be useful to determine effects of the chromosomes of interest in various inbred lines in any diploid or amphidiploid crop for which CS lines are available.

Status of the USA cotton germplasm collection and crop vulnerability.

The National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) is a cooperative effort among State, Federal and Private organizations aimed at preserving one of agriculture’s greatest assets: plant genetic diversity. The NPGS serves the scientific community by collecting, storing, and distributing germplasm as well as maintaining a searchable database of trait descriptors. Serving the NPGS, a Crop Germplasm Committee (CGC) is elected for each crop and is comprised of a group of scientists concerned with development, maintenance, characterization, and utilization of germplasm collections. Each CGC serves in an advisory role and provides a status report every seven years to determine scientific efforts, adequacy of germplasm base representation, and progress in breeding through utilization of germplasm. In addition, each committee can call attention to areas of concerns regarding facilities and staffing associated with the maintenance, collection, and taxonomic activities for a specific crop within the system. The following report was developed by the CGC for cotton and provides a record of collections, activities, concerns, crop vulnerabilities, and recommendations associated with the cotton collection for the period 1997–2005. Information provided within this document is a much expanded and detailed description of a report provided to the NPGS and includes the most exhaustive citation of germplasm depositions and research activity descriptions available anywhere in the USA for this time period. This documentation will be a valuable resource to breeders, geneticists, and taxonomists with an interest in this important food and fiber crop.

Genetic association of yield with its component traits in a recombinant inbred line population of cotton

Lint yield of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is determined by its component traits, boll number, boll weight, and lint percentage. Selecting high yielding lines is based on the ability to manipulate component traits. In this study, 188 recombinant inbred lines and two parental lines were grown in 1999 and 2000 at Mississippi State University. Lint yield and its three component traits were measured and analyzed by an extended conditional mixed linear model approach. Boll number unit-area−1 made the largest contribution to genotypic and genotype × environment (G × E) variations for lint yield. Both boll number and lint percentage, and boll number and boll weight jointly accounted for more than 70% of the genotypic and G × E variations in lint yield. Ninety-nine percent of the genetic and phenotypic variation in lint yield could be explained by the three component traits, indicating that lint yield was mainly dependent on its three component traits. Small phenotypic variation in lint yield could be accounted for by effects of genotype, G × E interactions of boll number or boll number combined with other component trait(s) (Table 5). For boll number unit-area−1 a wider distribution of genotypic contribution effects was detected than for lint percentage and boll weight in this study. Boll number and boll weight interacted to affect lint yield, indicating that balanced selection for boll weight and boll number is needed in high-yielding line development. Comparative results with other approaches were also discussed in this study.