Studies from United States Department of Agriculture Add New Findings in the Area of Plant Breeding
Life Science Weekly -- October 12, 2012 -- Investigators discuss new findings in Plant Breeding. According to news reporting originating from College Station, Texas, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, "Verticillium wilt (VW, Verticillium dahliae) is a worldwide destructive soil-borne fungal disease and employment of VW resistant cultivars is the most economic and efficient method in sustainable cotton production. However, information concerning VW resistance in current commercial cotton cultivars and transfer of VW resistance from Pima (Gossypium barbadense) to Upland (Gossypium hirsutum) cotton is lacking."Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from the United States Department of Agriculture, "The objective of the current study was to report findings in evaluating commercial cotton cultivars and germplasm lines for VW resistance in field and greenhouse (GH) experiments conducted in 2003, 2006, and 2007. In the study, 267 cultivars and germplasm lines were screened in the GH, while 357 genotypes were screened in the field. The results indicated that (1) VW significantly reduced cotton yield, lint percentage, 50% span length and micronaire, but not 2.5% span length and fiber strength, when healthy and diseased plants in 23 cultivars were compared; (2) some commercial cotton cultivars developed by major cotton seed companies in the US displayed good VW resistance; (3) many Acala cotton cultivars released in the past also had good VW resistance, but not all Acala cotton germplasm are resistant; (4) Pima cotton possessed higher levels of VW resistance than Upland cotton, but the performance was reversed when the root system was wounded after inoculation; (5) VW resistance in some conventional cultivars was transferred into their transgenic version through backcrossing; and (6) some advanced backcross inbred lines developed from a cross between Upland and Pima cotton showed good VW resistance."
According to the news editors, the researchers concluded: "The successful development of VW resistant transgenic cultivars and transfer of VW resistance from Pima to Upland cotton implies that VW resistance is associated with a few genes if not a major one."
For more information on this research see: Germplasm evaluation and transfer of Verticillium wilt resistance from Pima (Gossypium barbadense) to Upland cotton (G. hirsutum). Euphytica, 2012;187(2):147-160. Euphytica can be contacted at: Springer, Van Godewijckstraat 30, 3311 Gz Dordrecht, Netherlands. (Springer - www.springer.com; Euphytica - www.springerlink.com/content/0014-2336/)
The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting J.F. Zhang, Dept. of Agriculture ARS, So Plains Agr Res Center, College Stn, TX 77845, United States (see also Plant Breeding).
Keywords for this news article include: Texas, United States, Plant Breeding, College Station, North and Central America
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