Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #341250
Title: Registration of five upland cotton mutant germplasm lines with superior fiber length, strength, and uniformity

Author
item Bechere, Efrem
item Zeng, Linghe
item AULD, DICK - Texas Tech University

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Registrations
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/4/2017
Publication Date: 10/26/2017
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5922777
Citation: Bechere, E., Zeng, L., Auld, D. 2017. Registration of five upland cotton mutant germplasm lines with superior fiber length, strength, and uniformity. Journal of Plant Registrations. https://doi.org/10.3198/jpr2017.05.0024crg.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3198/jpr2017.05.0024crg

Interpretive Summary: Upland cotton has a narrow germplasm base that often limits the success of breeding programs. Intensive breeding for narrowly defined fiber-quality parameters required for processing cotton has further narrowed the gene pool of commercial cotton germplasm. The use of chemically induced mutants has been successful in most major crops but has only occasionally been used in improving cotton. Recent studies, however, have shown that chemical mutagenesis can be an effective tool to create a wide range of phenotypic variation in both diploid and tetraploid Gossypium populations. In 2008, about 5000 seeds of the germplasm line MD 15 were chemically mutagenized with 3.2% v/v of ethyl methane sulfonate. The treated seeds were hand planted in the field in 2008 to produce the M0 generation. One boll was hand-picked from each of 2000 surviving plants, and this bulk was planted in 2009 to produce the M1. In 2010, 2011, and 2012 the same procedure was followed to produce the M2, M3, and M4. Individual progeny rows of the best fiber quality mutants, along with the check genotypes were tested in replicated trials at Stoneville, MS during 2013-2016. These tests identified five mutants designated as MD 15-Mut 13, MD 15-Mut 31, MD 15-Mut 61, MD 15-Mut 89 and MD 15-Mut 138 with outstanding fiber length, strength and uniformity. These mutants have long to extra-long, very strong, and highly uniform fibers. Cotton breeders can incorporate the superior fiber quality from these mutants into high yielding germplasm to suit their local conditions. These characteristics may allow the development of cotton cultivars that could be utilized in higher value textile markets increasing the economic competitiveness of cotton producers in the US.

Technical Abstract: Mutant germplasm lines MD 15-Mut 13 (Reg. No. GP-1025, PI 681706), MD 15-Mut 31 (Reg. No. GP-1026, PI 681707), MD 15-Mut 61 (Reg. No. GP-1027, PI 681708), MD 15-Mut 89 (Reg. No. GP-1028, PI 681709), and MD 15-Mut 138 (Reg. No. GP-1029, PI 681710) are unique genotypes of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). These germplasm lines were developed by the USDA-ARS, Stoneville, MS, and released on 18 Apr. 2017. In 2008, about 5000 seeds of the germplasm line MD 15 were chemically mutagenized with 3.2% (v/v) of ethyl methane sulfonate. The treated seeds were hand planted in the field in 2008 to produce the M0 generation. One boll was handpicked from each of 2000 surviving plants, and this bulk was planted in 2009 to produce the M1. In 2010, 2011, and 2012, the same procedure was followed to produce the M2, M3, and M4 generations, respectively. Individual progeny rows of the best fiber quality mutants, along with the check genotypes, were tested in replicated trials at Stoneville during 2013 to 2016. These tests identified five mutants designated as MD 15-Mut 13, MD 15-Mut 31, MD 15-Mut 61, MD 15-Mut 89 and MD 15-Mut 138 with outstanding fiber length, strength, and uniformity. These mutants have long to extra-long, very strong, and highly uniform fibers.