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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Fiber Bioscience Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #340964
Title: Quantitative trait locus mapping of drought and salt tolerance in as introgressed recombinant inbred line population of upland cotton under the greenhouse and field conditions

Author
item ABDELRAHEEM, ABDELRAHEEM - New Mexico State University
item Fang, David
item ZHANG, JINFA - New Mexico State University

Submitted to: Journal of Euphytica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/12/2017
Publication Date: 12/14/2017
Citation: Abdelraheem, A., Fang, D.D., Zhang, J. 2017. Quantitative trait locus mapping of drought and salt tolerance in as introgressed recombinant inbred line population of upland cotton under the greenhouse and field conditions. Journal of Euphytica. (2018)214:8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-017-2095-x.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-017-2095-x

Interpretive Summary: Drought and salt stresses can result in more than 50% yield loss in Upland cotton. G. barbadense L. (the source of Pima cotton) carries desirable traits such as tolerance to drought and salt stresses along with high fiber quality. However, few results have been reported on mapping quantitative trait locus (QTL) for abiotic stress tolerance using a permanent bi-parental population in multiple tests. In this study, four replicated tests were conducted in a greenhouse along with another test conducted in a field using an Upland recombinant inbred line population of TM-1/NM24016 that has a stable introgression from Pima cotton. The objectives of the study were to investigate the genetic basis of drought and salt tolerance and to identify genetic markers associated with such tolerance. The results showed that drought under greenhouse and field conditions and salt stress in the greenhouse reduced cotton plant growth at the seedling stage, and decreased lint yield and fiber quality traits. A total of 165 QTL for salt and drought tolerance were detected on most of the cotton chromosomes, each explaining 5.98 to 21.43 % of the phenotypic variation. Among these, common QTL were detected under both stress conditions.

Technical Abstract: Drought and salt tolerances are complex traits and controlled by multiple genes, environmental factors and their interactions. Drought and salt stresses can result in more than 50% yield loss in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). G. barbadense L. (the source of Pima cotton) carries desirable traits such as tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress along with high fiber quality. However, few results have been reported on mapping quantitative trait locus (QTL) for abiotic stress tolerance using a permanent bi-parental population in multiple tests. The transfer of drought and salt tolerance from Pima to Upland cotton has been a challenge due to interspecific hybrid breakdown. This issue may be overcome by using introgression lines with genes transferred from Pima to Upland cotton. In this study, four replicated tests were conducted in a greenhouse each for drought and salt tolerance along with another test conducted in a field for drought tolerance using an Upland recombinant inbred line population of TM-1/NM24016 that has a stable introgression from Pima cotton. The objectives of the study were to investigate the genetic basis of drought and salt tolerance and to identify genetic markers associated with such tolerance. A total of 1,004 polymorphic DNA marker loci including RGA-AFLP, SSR and GBS-SNP markers were used to construct a genetic map spanning 2221.28 cM. This population together with its two parents was evaluated for morphological, physiological, yield and fiber quality traits. The results showed that drought under greenhouse and field conditions and salt stress in the greenhouse reduced cotton plant growth at the seedling stage, and decreased lint yield and fiber quality traits. A total of 165 QTL for salt and drought tolerance were detected on most of the cotton chromosomes, each explaining 5.98 to 21.43 % of the phenotypic variation. Among these, common QTL were detected under both stress conditions. This study represents the first study to provide results for genetically mapping drought and salt tolerance QTL which will be useful for cotton improvement through marker-assisted selection.