Author
Submitted to: Cotton
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 11/10/2014 Publication Date: 4/23/2015 Citation: Kim, H.J. 2015. Fiber biology. Cotton. 97-127, doi:10.2134/agronmonogr57.2013.0022. Interpretive Summary: Cotton fiber cells arising from seed epidermis is the most important agricultural textile commodity in the world. To produce fully mature fibers, approximately two months of fiber developmental process are required. The timing of four distinctive fiber development stages consisting of initiation, elongation, secondary wall biosynthesis, and maturation is tightly regulated and determines the yield and physical properties of cotton fibers. With the advent of cutting edge genomics along with conventional genetic and breeding tools, our understanding of molecular mechanisms and regulatory networks of regulating cotton fiber development has been dramatically expanded in recent years. The acquired knowledge is being used for improving cotton fibers. To overview the recent advances and provide potential strategies for improving cotton fiber, the chapter covers 1) commonly used techniques for elucidating regulatory mechanisms on fiber development, 2) morphological and physiological changes during cotton fiber development, and 3) recent progresses that have been made in cotton functional genomics. Technical Abstract: Cotton fiber cells arising from seed epidermis is the most important agricultural textile commodity in the world. To produce fully mature fibers, approximately two months of fiber developmental process are required. The timing of four distinctive fiber development stages consisting of initiation, elongation, secondary wall biosynthesis, and maturation is tightly regulated and determines the yield and physical properties of cotton fibers. With the advent of cutting edge genomics along with conventional genetic and breeding tools, our understanding of molecular mechanisms and regulatory networks of regulating cotton fiber development has been dramatically expanded in recent years. The acquired knowledge is being used for improving cotton fibers. To overview the recent advances and provide potential strategies for improving cotton fiber, the chapter covers 1) commonly used techniques for elucidating regulatory mechanisms on fiber development, 2) morphological and physiological changes during cotton fiber development, and 3) recent progresses that have been made in cotton functional genomics. |