Development of 'naked-tufted' seed coat mutants for potential use in cotton production

• Published in: Euphytica Vol. 167; no. 3; pp. 333 - 339
• Main Authors: Bechere, Efrem, Auld, D. L, Hequet, E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01-06-2009; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Cotton; cottonseed oil; crop yield; Cultivars; ethyl methanesulfonate; fiber quality; Fibers; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic engineering; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Gossypium hirsutum; Life Sciences; lint cotton; Mutagenesis; Mutants; Mutation; naked testa; naked-tufted seed mutants; Oils & fats; Plant breeding: fundamental aspects and methodology; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Seeds; Studies; testa; Naked seeds; Ethyl methane sulfonate; Mutagenesis; Fiber quality; Malvaceae; Testa; Tegument; Seeds; Gossypium; Fiber; Fiber crop; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Genetic improvement; Spermatophyta; Mutation
• ISSN: 0014-2336; 1573-5060
• DOI: 10.1007/s10681-009-9890-y

Use of chemical mutagenesis has been highly successful in most major crops. The objective of this research was to develop 'naked-tufted' seed mutants and to incorporate this genetic trait into cotton to enhance crop quality and reduce processing costs. In 1997, six commercial cultivars were treated with 2.45% v/v ethyl methane sulfonate. In 1999, three M₃ plants were identified that had partially naked seed coats. The trait was stabilized through individual plant selections from 2000 to 2004. During 2005 and 2006, the homozygous naked-tufted M₈ mutant lines were evaluated for lint yield, lint percent, fibers/seed, fibers/mm², fiber quality, seed oil content, ginning efficiency and yarn spinning performance. Overall, the naked-tufted seed mutants had lower lint yield, lower fibers/seed, lower lint/seed, and lower fibers/mm² when compared with their original fuzzy parents. The lint turnout from the mutants was similar to the fuzzy parents and the commercial cultivars. The naked-tufted seed mutants had higher seed oil percent, 6-17% lower short fiber contents, significantly reduced seed coat neps (37-42%), higher elongation and yarn tenacity than their fuzzy counterparts. Preliminary data also showed that the naked-tufted mutants required less energy to gin.