Abstract
The study of A-genome Asian cotton as a potential fiber donor in Gossypium species may offer an enhanced understanding of complex genetics and novel players related to fiber quality traits. Assessment of individual fibers providing classified fiber quality information to the textile industry is Advanced Fiber Information System (AFIS) in the recent technological era. Keeping the scenario, a diverse collection of 215 Asiatic cotton accessions were evaluated across three agro-ecological zones of China. Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) was performed to detect association signals related to 17 AFIS fiber quality traits grouped into four categories viz: NEPs, fiber length, maturity, and fineness. Significant correlations were found within as well as among different categories of various traits related to fiber quality. Fiber fineness has shown a strong correlation to all other categories, whereas these categories are shown interrelationships via fiber-fineness. A total of 7,429 SNPs were found in association with 17 investigated traits, of which 177 were selected as lead SNPs. In the vicinity of these lead SNPs, 56 differentially expressed genes in various tissues/development stages were identified as candidate genes. This compendium connecting trait-SNP-genes may allow further prioritization of genes in GWAS loci to enable mechanistic studies. These identified quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) may prove helpful in fiber quality improvement in Asian cotton through marker-assisted breeding as well as in reviving eroded genetic factors of G. hirsutum via introgression breeding.
Highlights
Cotton has a prime position in the global natural textile fiber industry, making it a significant agricultural commodity
The highest standard deviation (Std Dev) has been displayed by NEPs related trait followed by length related traits and lowest Std Dev was exhibited by maturity related trait
The significant or highly significant positive correlations were determined among Short Fiber Content (SFCn), Short Fiber Content Weight (SFCW), Total nep count (TNN), Fiber nep count (FNN), Seeds oat nep Count (SCN), Total nep mean Size (TNS), Length Number (Ln), LN5, length Weight (LW), Upper Quartile Length Weight (UQLW)
Summary
Cotton has a prime position in the global natural textile fiber industry, making it a significant agricultural commodity. It remains an essential source of livelihood for a large percentage of the farming community. The competition among major cotton-producing regions and the use of synthetic fibers are continuously increasing It necessitates continual product quality improvements, measuring physical traits and germplasm resources (Meredith Jr, 2005). Single seed fibers are assumed to exhibit continua of shape, physical maturity, cell wall thickness, and length (Bradow et al, 1996) These physical traits determine the quality of the raw material, which underlie the quality of the finished product. As cotton fiber quality is a critical issue in cotton research, an accurate and precise measurement system is required for the various fiber quality traits (Berkley, 1948)
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