Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #68506
Title: TOLERANCE TO ROTYLENCHULUS RENIFORMIS AND RESISTANCE TO MELOIDOGYNE INCOGNITA RACE 3 IN HIGH YIELDING BREEDING LINES OF UPLAND COTTON

Author
item Cook, Charles
item Robinson, Arin
item NAMKEN, LEO - TEXAS AGRIC. EXPT. STN.

Submitted to: Journal of Nematology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Reniform nematodes are present in soils of the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and other areas of the southeastern United States. This pest can cause serious damage to cotton production, and at the present time no commercial cultivars exist with reniform nematode resistance. Field experiments were conducted in 1992 and 1994 to examine the effect of Rotylenchulus reniformis on the lint yield and fiber quality of 10 experimental breeding lines of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) in untreated plots or plots fumigated with 1,3-dichloropropene. LA. RN 1032, a germplasm line with some resistance to R. reniformis, and Stoneville 453, a commercial cultivar that was susceptible to reniform nematodes, were used as controls. Several breeding lines produced greater yields than Stoneville 453 or La. RN 1032 in both fumigated and untreated plots. Lint yield reductions caused by R. reniformis for six of the 10 breeding lines were less than half of the 52% yield reduction observed for Stoneville 453. In growth chamber experiments, multiplication factors of three breeding lines, N222-1-91, N320-2-91, N419-1-191, and the resistant germplasm, La. Rn 1032, were significantly lower than on Deltapine 16 and Stoneville 453, while breeding lines, N220-1-92, N222-1-91, and N320-2-91, showed resistance to race 3 of Meloidogyne incognita, the southern root-knot nematode. In addition to high yield potential, N222-1-91 and N320-2-91 possess low levels of resistance to R. reniformis and high levels of resistance to M. incognita, demonstrating the progress made in developing improved cotton germplasm that can minimize losses caused by nematode pests.

Technical Abstract: The reniform nematode is a serious nematode pest to cotton in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and other areas of the southeastern United States. Field experiments were conducted in 1992 and 1994 to examine the effect of Rotylenchulus reniformis on the lint yield and fiber quality of 10 experimental breeding lines of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) in untreated plots or plots fumigated with 1,3-dichloropropene. La. RN 1032, a germplasm line possessing some resistance to R. reniformis, and Stoneville, 453, a commercial cultivar that was susceptible to reniform nematodes, were used as controls. Several breeding lines produced greater lint yields than Stoneville 453 or La. RN 1032 in both fumigated and untreated plots. Lint yield suppression due to R. reniformis for six of the 10 breeding lines was less than half of the 52% yield reduction measured for Stoneville 453. In growth chamber experiments comparing these six breeding lines with Stoneville 453, La. RN 1032, and Deltapine 16, R. reniformis multiplication factors of N222-1-91, N320-2-91, N419-1-91, and La. RN 1032 were significantly lower than on Deltapine 16 and Stoneville 453, while N220-1-92, N222-1-91, and N320-2-91 showed resistance to race 3 of Meloidogyne incognita. In addition to good yield potential, germplasm lines N222-1-91 and N320-2-91 appear to possess low levels of resistance to R. reniformis and high levels of resistance to M. incognita, demonstrating the progress made in developing cotton germplasm to minimize losses caused by nematode pests.