Evaluation of chlorophyll fluorescence as a tool for the identification of drought tolerance in upland cotton

• Published in: Euphytica Vol. 166; no. 1; pp. 25 - 33
• Main Authors: Longenberger, P. S, Smith, C. W, Duke, S. E, McMichael, B. L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01-03-2009; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adaptation to environment and cultivation conditions; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Arid zones; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Chlorophyll; Cotton; crop yield; cultivars; developmental stages; Drought; Drought resistance; drought tolerance; fiber quality; field experimentation; Fluorescence; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; genotype; Genotypes; germplasm screening; Gossypium arboreum; Gossypium barbadense; Gossypium hirsutum; High temperature; Incubation; Leaves; Life Sciences; lint cotton; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; Plant resistance; Plant Sciences; Plant tissues; Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims; Water availability; Texas; Chlorophyll fluorescence; Cotton; Drought tolerance; Malvaceae; Chlorophyll; Fluorescence; Tolerance; Fiber crop; Drought resistance; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Genetic improvement; Spermatophyta; Gossypium hirsutum
• ISSN: 0014-2336; 1573-5060
• DOI: 10.1007/s10681-008-9820-4

Chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) is one tool used by researchers to quantify plant water status during periods of limited water availability. The research reported herein was designed to evaluate a CF-based protocol as a tool for use in cotton, Gossypium spp. breeding programs for the identification of drought tolerant genotypes. Twenty genotypes were selected to represent diverse and distinct US germplasm pools. Replicated tests were performed in Lubbock and College Station, TX in 2006 and 2007. Dryland and irrigated treatments, as main plots, were applied in a randomized complete block design, split to genotypes. CF measurements were taken at mid-bloom and late bloom growth stages. Source leaf tissue was harvested at predawn and subjected to high temperature incubation with CF measurements subsequently taken hourly for 5 h. Drought stressed plants had not mobilized their carbohydrate reserves from their source leaves overnight and thus maintained cell viability and therefore higher CF values throughout the incubation and measurement period with the opposite being true for non-stressed plants. Fiber lint yield and fiber properties were measured for comparison with the CF data. Genotype x treatment effects complicated the classification of genotypic response to drought. Few and inconsistent correlations were found among CF values and lint yield or fiber properties. Data suggested that this procedure provides little potential in selecting plants for drought tolerance when plants are grown under field culture.