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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #285941
Title: Genetic effect and genetic values of fiber properties in F2 and F3 hybrids between germplasm lines and high yield cultivars

Author
item Zeng, Linghe
item WU, JIXIANG - South Dakota State University
item Bechere, Efrem

Submitted to: Euphytica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/17/2012
Publication Date: 12/4/2013
Citation: Zeng, L., Wu, J., Bechere, E. 2013. Genetic effect and genetic values of fiber properties in F2 and F3 hybrids between germplasm lines and high yield cultivars. Euphytica. 459-469.

Interpretive Summary: Improvement of fiber quality in high yield cotton cultivars is critical for making US raw fibers more competitive in global market. However, in recent years, the improvement of fiber quality has reached a plateau in Upland cotton. The limited gains in fiber quality may be due to the complexity of traits which are usually affected by environmental conditions. Crosses were made between wild germplasm lines and cultivars in order to introduce desirable genes from wild germplasm into cultivars for improving fiber traits. Results indicated that selection for fiber traits would be efficient and gains of fiber traits would be independent of environments in these germplasm lines. Four germplasm lines (JC60, JC65, JC186, and SP205) had desirable combinations among diversified fiber traits. These lines were identified as good parents to transmit superior fiber traits when crossed with other cultivars.

Technical Abstract: Utilization of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) germplasm for genetic improvement of fiber properties requires determination of genetic effects for fiber properties in the germplasm lines. A study was designed to analyze genetic populations derived from multiple crosses between nine germplasm lines as male parents and five cultivars and elite breeding lines as female parents to determine genetic values of fiber properties. Parents and F2 populations were planted at 2 field sites in 2010 and 2011 with 4 and 3 replicates, respectively, and parents and F3 populations were planted at 2 field sites in 2011 with 3 replicates. Lint yield and 7 fiber properties were analyzed by an additive and dominant model with genotype by environment interaction effects. Significant additive and dominant effects were identified for both lint yield and fiber properties. Germplasm lines JC60, JC65, JC186, and SP205 were good general combiners for micronaire, elongation, strength, 50% span length, short fiber content, and fineness. Six to 15 crosses were detected with favorable heterozygous dominant effects for lint yield and diverse fiber traits, which suggest useful heterosis of these hybrids. Favorable additive correlations were identified between fiber properties such as micronaire vs. 50% span length (-0.57), micronaire vs. fineness (0.82), strength vs. 50% span length (0.54), strength vs. short fiber content (-0.69), and 50% span length vs. short fiber content (-0.78) while unfavorable additive correlations were not identified among fiber properties. These results indicated potential of simultaneous genetic improvement for these multiple properties in breeding populations derived from these germplasm lines.