SEGREGATION FOR FIBER QUALITY TRAITS IN SIX UPLAND COTTON POPULATIONS

摘要

Progress in breeding for yield and fiber quality traits in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) has been limited in recent years. It has been speculated that this is partly due to a narrow genetic base, resulting in reduced genetic variation for manytraits of economic importance. We studied genetic variation and heritability for yield components and AFIS fiber quality traits in six populations of adapted × adapted cotton germplasm in the F2 and F3 generations. Our objectives were to determine if sufficient genetic variability exists within adapted elite germplasm. Yield-related traits (lint percentage, lint weight boll~(-1)) were moderately to highly heritable in most of the populations and generations, while fiber quality-related traits were more population- and/or generation-dependent. Traits related to trash content were largely not heritable. It appears that selection for some AFIS fiber traits in early generations of cotton inbreeding will be effective but dependent on population.