Estimation of Genetic Divergence in 40 Elite Cotton Germplasm

Full Length Research Article

Estimation of Genetic Divergence in 40 Elite Cotton Germplasm

Nadia Jabbar1, Raheela Waheed2, Iqra Arooj1*, Sara Janiad1, Humaira Yasmeen1, Uzma Irfan3, Naima Zaheer4, Ambreen Ahmed4, Atia Iqbal1

Adv. life sci., vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 182-187, July 2022
*- Corresponding Author: Iqra Arooj (Email: iqra.6051@wum.edu.pk)
Authors' Affiliations

 1. Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Women University, Multan -Pakistan
2. Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, The Women University, Multan – Pakistan
3. Department of Botany, The Women University, Multan – Pakistan
4. Institute of Botany, University of the Punjab, Lahore – Pakistan
 [Date Received: 23/10/2021; Date Revised: 18/04/2022; Date Published: 31/07/2022]

Abstractaa download_button
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
References 

Abstract

Background: Identification and development of superior cotton genotypes and their further improvement has been one of the primitive aims of plant breeding programmers. Therefore, necessity of analyzing the agro-morphological and yield attributes of advanced lines of cotton is doubtless.

Methods: Mean performance and correlation between ten different morphological, yield and fiber related attributes of forty cotton genotypes from all over the Pakistan under National Coordinated Varietal Trial were studied at Central Cotton Research Institute of Multan. Selected traits included several sympodial and monopodial branches, plant height, number of bolls per plant, staple length, seed cotton yield, boll weight, fiber strength, percentage ginning out turn and micronaire value.

Results: Statistical analysis of variance disclosed highly significant (p<0.01) differences among all cotton genotypes for majority of the characteristics. Basic descriptive statistical analysis of selected agronomic traits revealed the presence of substantial genetic variation among 40 genotypes of cotton for 10 selected traits. The correlation coefficient was determined both at p<0.05 and p<0.01 levels and the observations demonstrated that some of the characteristics exhibited positive correlation, while others displayed negative correlation with each other. Micronaire showed highly significant positive association with percentage ginning out turn (0.3412) and boll weight (0.2421 g) as well as highly significant negative association with fiber strength (-0.5973).

Conclusion: Convincingly, mean performances and correlation of different traits with one another can be utilized in cotton breeding programs in future to improve the yield of cotton seed and to select fiber related attributes with desired characteristics.

Keywords: Gossypium hirsutum; Morphological agronomic traits; Statistical analysis 

Introduction6th button-01

Being a pivotal cash crop, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) constitutes a lot of space in the fiber industry as well as economical equilibrium of many countries all over the world and has successively gained the attention of more than eighty countries owing to its excellent fiber and good adaptability characteristics [1]. By the reason of its multifaceted possessions in terms of fruitful yield and profitable earnings, it is designated as “white gold” [2]. In course of producing cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fiber yield, Pakistan holds fourth position worldwide and the economy of Pakistan vigorously depends on cotton and its subordinates [3, 4, 5].

The limiting abiotic and biotic factors restricting cotton generation in Pakistan are heat stress, cotton leaf curl virus infection (CLCuV), high cost of sources (pesticide, fertilizer, insecticide, seeds etc.), less availability of water, almost high severity of pests, deficiency of best quality seed, seed contamination, retailing issues of cotton and the yield product coverage [6]. Genetically modified and diversified cotton genotypes have much potential to combat with aforementioned limitations and to achieve superior quality genotypes harvesting impressive qualitative as well as quantitative results [7].

For the identification and development of enviable genotypes in accessible germplasm, exploitation of genetic divergence is obligatory for upgrading cotton yield [5]. Cotton genotypes with less divergence and low genetic differences are the major routes leading to declining yield quality [8]. Accordingly, data on the genetic diversity and connections among plant varieties is vital to perceive the unpredictability of the quality pool, to recognize gaps in genotype accumulations and to create viable conservation and administration techniques [9].

Breeding programs can be improved through better selection of parents for the generation of segregating populations. This is also used for the study of genetic lines, their population structure and heterotypic groups [10]. Yield is an immensely complicated character which is influenced directly by the various morpho-yield traits including plant height (cm), number of monopodia, yield (kg hec-1), fiber length (mm), fiber fines or micronaire(µg inch-1), ginning out turn (G.O.T %), fiber strength (G Tex-1), number of sympodia, number of bolls and boll weight.

Genetic diversity analysis and studies are made by using pedigree and morphological data [11], as production of cotton either by lint or seed cotton yield relies upon phenotypic characters including plant height, boll weight, number of bolls per plant, non-fruiting branches (monopodia), fruiting branches (sympodia), ginning out turn (G.O.T %), fiber strength, fiber length, micronaire as well as seed index [12].

Information of genetic diversity amongst commercial cotton genotypes will possibly help cotton-breeding systems and encourage the use of promising germplasm. Keeping this in view, the present study was carried out to statistically analyze the genetic diversity, mean performances and correlation of ten selected morphological yield and fiber-related attributes of forty genotypes of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). The prime aim of  the present investigation was to evaluate the genetic diversity among selected cotton genotypes from all over Pakistan under NCVT (National Coordinated Varietal Trial) for different agronomic traits.

Methods6th button-01

Place of study and breeding material

This study was conducted at breeding section of experimental farm of Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI), Multan, Pakistan and Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (MMG), The Women University, Multan, Pakistan during cotton crop growing season 2017-2018. Breeding material included forty different BT-tolerant genotypes (B-1:CEMB-3; B-2: B-2; B-3: GH-Deebal; B-4: FH-152; B-5: Eagle-2; B-6: Cyto-313; B-7: Crystal-313; B-8: Crystal-12; B-9: CRIS-600; B-10: FH-142 (Std); B-11:CIM-534; B-12:CIM-496; B-13:CIM-707; B-14:CIM-554; B-15:CIM-573; B-16:CIM-608; B-17:CIM-602; B-18:CYTO-178; B-19:CIM-608; B-20:CYTO-124; C-1:Ghauri-1; C-2:CEMB Kiean Cotton-2; C-3:CEMB-100; C-4:BS-80; C-5:BS-18; C-6:BH-221; C-7:Bahar-2017; C-8:Badar-1; C-9:FH-142 (Std-2); C-10:Auriga-216; C-11:AA-933; C-12:Weal ag-216; C-13:VH-gulzar; C-14:Tipu-1; C-15:Thakkar-808; C-16:Tarzan-5; C-17:CIM-602 (Std-1); C-18:Shaheen-1; C-19:RH-662; C-20:RH-668) of private sector in National Coordinated Varietal Trial – NCVT (Set-B and Set-C) at CCRI, Multan having cotton seed, fiber yield and fiber quality characters including fiber strength, fiber fineness and fiber length.

Experimental design and field procedures

The research work covered up the study of the genetic variability of genotypes, genetic gain and correlation between seed cotton yield and seed characters as well as fiber in G. hirsutum which was carried out in the 2017-2018 season under prevailing environment of CCRI. CCRI lies between 71.4697° East longitude and 30.1978° North latitude. Breeding material encompassed forty different cotton genotypes which were hand sown on April 28, 2017 in a randomized complete block (RCB) design including three replicates. Every sub-plot of a cultivar had four rows, the plot size being 30ˊ×10ˊ. Recommended agronomic and cultural practices were used and for each entry, data was noted for ten consecutively undamaged as well as representative plants. Picking was done on November 24, 2017 on the basis of single plant and ginning was made with ten saw-gins.

Measurement of traits

The included measured traits were plant height, boll weight, number of bolls per plant, ginning out turn, number of sympodial branches per plant, number of monopodial branches per plant, micronaire, fiber strength, fiber length and cotton yield. Measurement of plant height was done from the ground level at the base of plant to the tip of tallest branch after maturity. The height was recorded in centimeters. Number of sympodia (fruiting branches), monopodia (non-fruiting branches), and total number of bolls present on each plant for tagged plants were counted manually for each genotype in all three replicated fields as it corresponds with the yield of the plant. Using USTER® HVI-1000, fiber quality traits such as fiber fineness, fiber strength and fiber length were calculated for each plant. For calculating boll weight, 25 bolls from the four rows were collected and weighed. The total weight of bolls was divided by 25 and the resulting weight was of one boll. Ginning was made with ten saw-gins machine and the following formula was used to calculate ginning outturn (G.O.T):

Lint % (G.O.T.) = Wt. of lint in a sample / Wt. of seed cotton sample × 100

Statistical Analysis

The average or mean of the agronomic traits was subjected to analysis of the variance (ANOVA) by employing the software, Statistix 8.1. Statistical analysis was performed for the data collected from varieties for aforementioned phenotypic characters and quality traits using this software. 

Results

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The mean performances of selected cotton genotypes for yield and yield components are described in Table 1. Maximum plant height was observed in genotype C-1 (124.27 cm) and minimum in C-11 (82.00 cm). Likewise, maximum number of monopodia was observed in B-14 (3.40-1) and minimum in B-16 (0.20-1). Sympodial branches are distal fruiting branches, and each sympodial branch ends in a boll generating flower. Genotype B-15 harvested with maximum number of sympodia (66.87-1) while minimum was observed in C-7 (36.800-1). Number of bolls per plant determines the quantity of seed cotton which subsequently defines the cotton yield per unit area. Maximum number of bolls was observed in B-17 (48.13-1) and minimum in B-20 (17.06-1). On the other hand, maximum boll weight (g) was observed in C-3 (4.0 g) and minimum in B-10 (2.1 g). Maximum yield was observed in C-5 (3581.3 kg hec-1) and minimum in B-18 (1789.0 kg hec-1). The ginning turn-out is given prime importance while measuring quality of a cotton variety. Maximum ginning out turn was observed in C-13 (40.700 %) and minimum in C-18 (35.133 %). Maximum fiber length was observed in B-10 (29.533 mm) and minimum in C-13 (24.400 mm). Maximum micronaire was observed in B-1 (5.667 µg inch-1) and minimum in B-17 (4.36 µg inch-1). Maximum fiber strength was observed in B-4 (30.3 G Tex-1) and minimum in C-5 (23.53 G Tex-1) among all forty cotton genotypes (Table 1).

Statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) exposed highly significant genetic differences (p<0.01) among all cotton genotypes for plant height (cm), no. of monopodia-1, yield (kg hec-1), fiber length (mm), ginning out turn (G.O.T %), fiber strength (G Tex-1), and fiber fines or micronaire (µg inch-1), whereas no. of sympodia-1, no. of bolls-1 and boll weight (g) showed non-significant difference as demonstrated by P>0.05 (Table 2). The results relevant to descriptive statistics of different selected traits confirmed the presence of considerable genetic variation in 40 genotypes of cotton for 10 studied characters. The minimum and maximum range of means for different traits has been described in Table 3.

Correlation coefficient of ten quantitative traits of upland cotton accessions was calculated at p<0.05 as well as p<0.01 levels. Micronaire (µg inch-1) showed highly significant positive association with G.O.T (0.3412) and boll weight (0.2421) but highly significant negative association with fiber strength (-0.5973). Yield also showed highly significant positive association with boll weight (0.3197) and plant height (0.2790) as in addition to significant positive correlation with ginning out turn (0.2129). Fiber length indicated highly positive significant association with fiber strength with a correlation value of 0.8556along with highly negative significant correlation with micronaire at a value of (-0.6077). These observations manifested that some of the characteristics depicted positive correlation whereas others presented negative correlation with each other (Table 4).

 

Figures & Tables


Discussion6th button-01

This study of field evaluation of 40 cotton breeding lines aimed to find out best genetic divergent lines. The first parameter studied for 40 genotypes was height and among all genotypes there was a significant height difference which is obviously because of genetic diversity and the environmental influences. As medium height cotton varieties are preferred by cotton breeders and farmers [13] so the best genotypes regarding height among these 40 genotypes are those having medium height like B-3, B-8, B-9, B-11, B-13, B-15 and B-19.

To determine cotton yield, number of monopodia can be considered as one of the most important factors as the development of sympodia which ends in a boll generating flower is directly dependent on this character [14]. Cotton plants flower periodically throughout its growing season. When flowers are successful, they develop into cotton yield which is referred to as cotton bolls [15]. Number of bolls per plant determines the quantity of seed cotton which subsequently defines the cotton yield per unit area. In our study, B-14 (3.40-1) stood 1st with highest monopodial and sympodial branches which leads to good ginning out turn (G.O.T) of 38.87%. Although number of sympodial branches and bolls are directly proportional to each other, and it was expected that the genotypes having greater number of sympodial branches will be having maximum bolls, but the results are different as besides genetic influences, there are certain environmental factors that affect the development of bolls. Water and nutrient availability, sunlight intensity, temperature and internal hormonal balance are some of the factors that can influence boll development and retention. Cotton is considered as an important crop because of its fiber. The ginning out-turn is given prime importance while measuring quality of a cotton variety. Similarly, micronaire value serves as an indicator of fiber fitness, fiber quality and fiber maturity. It is the most rapid and the least expensive indicator of fiber strength and maturity. Genotype, C-13 showed maximum ginning out turn (40.700 %) and good fiber micronaire value of 5.4 µg inch-1 (Table 1).

Statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) exposed highly significant genetic differences (p<0.01) among all cotton genotypes for plant height (cm), no. of monopodia-1, yield (kg hec-1), fiber length (mm), ginning out turn (G.O.T %), fiber strength (G Tex-1), and fiber fines or micronaire (µg inch-1), whereas no. of sympodia-1, no. of bolls-1 and boll weight (g) showed non-significant yield (kg hec-1), fiber length (mm), ginning out turn (G.O.T %), fiber strength (G Tex-1), and fiber fines or micronaire (µg inch-1), whereas no. of sympodia-1, no. of bolls-1 and boll weight (g) showed non-significant difference as demonstrated by P>0.05 (Table 2). Similar significant genotypic differences were observed previously in an experiment conducted on five varieties

Same traits that were selected for present research work to evaluate genetic variation for yield and fiber-related of Gossypium hirsutum L. namely F-281, SLH-41, 69-j.70, H-88-8-J, LA-85-52-1 and COKER-3113, for the traits [16]. Genetic variation in upland cotton was studied by Batool et al in 2010 and they reported manifestation of highly significant differences concerning seed cotton yield plant-1, monopodia and sympodia plant-1 as well as plant height by the cultivars [17]. Another report in the same year also observed significant differences between yield of cotton, length of fiber and other fiber-related characteristics in an advanced cotton breeding program that was conducted for two years [15]. The results relevant to descriptive statistics of different selected traits confirmed the presence of considerable genetic variation in 40 genotypes of cotton for 10 studied characters (Table 3). In 2017, Khan et al used descriptive stats, principal component analysis and correlation analysis to evaluate genetic variation among exotic lines of G. arboreum for traits like boll weight, bolls per plant, sympodial branches, seed cotton yield, lint percentage and micronaire [16].

In our study, the correlation coefficient of ten quantitative traits of upland cotton accessions revealed highly significant positive association with plant height (0.2790) (Table 4). In line with this observation, Khan et al reported in 2009 that the trait yield is directly influenced by plant height because of positive correlation between these two parameters [17]. Based on present findings, it is concluded that success in the area of cotton breeding is principally reliant upon the selection as well as utilization of capable genotypes having increased genetic divergence levels to achieve higher seed cotton yield. The knowledge about genetic variation, genotype potential and correlation between desired traits provides dependable foundation for the improvement of crop and attainment of superior cotton yield. B-1 (micronaire), B-4 (fiber strength), B-10 (fiber length), B-14 (number of monopodia), B-15 (number of sympodia), B-17 (number of bolls), C-1 (plant height), C-3 (boll weight), C-5 (yield), C-13 (ginning out turn) are considered best cotton varieties among 40 genotypes. Being a pivotal cash crop, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) constitutes a lot of space in the fiber industry as well as economical equilibrium of many countries all over the world and has successively gained the attention of more than eighty countries owing to its excellent fiber and good adaptability characteristics [18]. By the reason of its multifaceted possessions in terms of fruitful yield and profitable earnings, it is designated as “white gold” [19].

Author Contributions

All authors contributed equally to this study.

Conflict of Interest

The author declares that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Acknowledgement 

We acknowledge the contribution of Dr. Muhammad Idrees Khan for providing technical assistance during the whole study at Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan. We would also like to thank Amber Masood, Iqra Batool and Samia Tahir for providing data.

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