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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Florence, South Carolina » Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #71865

Title: DEVELOPMENT OF COTTON GERMPLASM FOR SUSTAINABLE COTTON PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Author
item May Iii, Oscar
item DURANT, J - CLEMSON UNIV

Submitted to: Journal of Sustainable Agriculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/9/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Environmentally friendly cotton production systems emphasize the use of fewer pesticides for insect control. This research documents studies aimed at reducing the number of insecticide applications needed for profitable cotton production by use of resistant cultivars. Cotton produces flower buds all season that may be consumed by the tobacco budworm or cotton bollworm unless insecticides are applied for control. We attempted to further exploit cotton bollworm/tobacco budworm resistant germplasm in an overall effort to develop cotton varieties that produce high yields with acceptable fiber quality. Available resistant cotton germplasm is deficient in lint yield and fiber quality. These data indicate that only genotypes possessing frego bract, a genetic trait that conditions a reduced bract area, express any useful level of bollworm/budworm resistance. Unfortunately, these varieties do not produce enough lint for profitable production. Future efforts to exploit this resistance will have to concentrate on improving the agronomic qualities of frego bract varieties.

Technical Abstract: We report findings from a 2-yr study of selection for bollworm (Helicoverpa zea [Boddie]) and tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens [F.]) resistance in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum [L.]). Two cycles of mass selection for bollworm/tobacco budworm resistance were conducted in two populations derived from crosses between resistant Pee Dee germplasm and 'Stoneville 69132'. Variation for bollworm/tobacco budworm damaged squares and bolls among the selection cycles was small and not significant, indicating no progress in improving resistance. In accomplishing mass selection, frego bract plants were not selected, and this may explain why we could not further exploit the bollworm/tobacco budworm resistance found in the Pee Dee germplasm. Future attempts at utilizing this source of resistance may have to include selection for frego bract. An important finding was that the Pee Dee germplasm line PD 0786 suffered significantly less square damage and harbored fewer bollworm/tobacco budworm larvae than susceptible 'Coker 315' when no insecticide was applied for bollworm/tobacco budworm control. Resistant PD germplasm had previously been shown to exhibit resistance only under a reduced insecticide production system. This may have application in production systems utilizing Bt cotton.