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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #317211
Title: Combining ability of ginning rate and net ginning energy requirement in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Author
item Bechere, Efrem
item Zeng, Linghe
item Hardin Iv, Robert

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/6/2015
Publication Date: 2/19/2016
Citation: Bechere, E., Zeng, L., Hardin IV, R.G. 2016. Combining ability of ginning rate and net ginning energy requirement in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Crop Science. 56:499-504.

Interpretive Summary: Cotton Producers and ginners both benefit from decreased ginning costs. Reducing the strength of the cotton fiber’s attachment to the seed is one way to reduce the time required to gin the cotton (ginning rate) and the energy needed to run the gin (net ginning energy). There are genetic differences among cotton varieties for ginning rate and net ginning efficiency. This study compared 13 cotton lines to determine which would, in general, be the best parents to improve these two traits, and if there were any specific combinations of two parents that would be the best. The study identified a genotype that combined well with other genotypes to improve these traits and a combination of two specific parents that improved both ginning rate and net ginning efficiency, which will decrease the time required to gin the cotton as well as save on energy needed to run the gin, and provide cost savings to the producer and ginner.

Technical Abstract: Combining ability describes the breeding value of parental lines to produce hybrids. The objectives of this study were to detect specific (SCA) and general combining ability (GCA) estimates for ginning rate and net ginning energy requirement in some upland cotton germplasm (Gossypium hirsutum L.). This is the first study of its kind. Crosses were made in a 5X8 factorial design between 5 female and 8 male diverse cotton germplasm. Even though the study indicated the presence of both additive (GCA) and non-additive (SCA) genes controlling these traits, the preponderance of the GCA effects was evident. The genotype MD 25 had the highest GCA effect for ginning rate, and AR 9317-26 had the highest significant negative GCA effect for net ginning energy. Previous studies have shown that fuzz percent is positively and significantly associated with net ginning energy and negatively and significantly associated with ginning rate. For lowering fuzz percent, any of the semi-naked seed lines (AR 9317-26, Tejas NS, SC 9023 NS) can be exploited. For hybrid development, cross JJ 1145ne x SC 9023 NS maybe utilized for improving ginning rate, cross FM 832 x Tejas NS and JJ 1145ne x SG 747 can be used for reducing fuzz percent and the hybrid Phytogen 72 x TAM 98-99ne can be exploited for improving all three traits.