Abstract
Cottonseed, oil, and protein, as the by-products of cotton production, have the potential to provide commodities to meet the increasing demand of renewable bio-fuels and ruminant feed. An increase in crop yield per unit area requires high-yielding cultivar management with an economic nitrogen (N) rate, an optimal N application schedule, high-yielding plant populations and strong seedlings. Whether the integration of these agronomic practices into a coherent management system can increase the productivity of cotton fiber, embryo oil and protein requires experimental elucidation. In this 2-year study, conventional management practices (CM) were used as a control, and two integrated management strategies (IMS1 and IMS2) were considered at two soil fertility levels (high soil fertility and low soil fertility) to analyze the metabolic and biochemical traits of cotton embryos. The results illustrate that the cottonseed, oil, and protein yields for IMS1 and IMS2 were significantly higher than those under CM at both soil fertility levels and the fiber yield increased as well. The IMS regulated the maternal photo thermal environment by delaying the flowering date, resulting in increases in the seed weight. In developing cotton embryos, the IMS increased the embryo weight accumulation rate and biomass partitioning into oil and protein, which were associated with high activities of H+-ATPase, H+-PPase, sucrose synthase (SuSy), and cell wall invertase (C-INV) and low activities of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and vacuole invertase (V-INV). Increased hexoses (D-fructose, D-glucose) content contributed to the oil and protein contents. These results suggest that increased sucrose/H+ symport, sucrose hydrolysis, hexoses synthesis, and cumulative photo-thermal product (PTP), especially in the early stage of embryo growth, play a dominant role in the high productivity of cotton oil and protein.
Highlights
Cottonseed, as a by-product of cotton production, is the fifth largest oil seed crop, followed by soybean, rapeseed, peanut, and sunflower
The oil and protein yields under IMS2 were increased by 13.99 and 24.45% at the low soil fertility level and by 24.43 and 48.37% at the high soil fertility level, respectively. These results indicate that increased cottonseed yield due to an economic N rate, an optimal N application schedule, high-yielding plant populations and the substrate-seedling raising method can compensate for a lower embryo oil content, resulting in greater oil and protein yields
Over the 2-year study, an economic N rate, optimal N application schedule, adequate plant density, and use of the seedling-raising method integrated as a coherent management system resulted in an increased cottonseed, oil and protein yields
Summary
Cottonseed, as a by-product of cotton production, is the fifth largest oil seed crop, followed by soybean, rapeseed, peanut, and sunflower. Management Strategies and Seed Reserves by-products has drawn attention to genome editing (Liu et al, 2000, 2002), cotton breeding (Yu et al, 2012), sustainable cropping systems (Du et al, 2015), and optimal agronomic strategies (Sawan et al, 1988, 2001, 2007) to obtain a high yield and optimal quality in cottonseed. Integrated N management strategies increase crop yield and N efficiency in rapeseed (Weisler et al, 2001), groundnut (Prasad et al, 2002), and tomato (Javaria and Khan, 2011). Additive effects may exist among these agronomic practices, and the integration of these agronomic practices into a coherent management system aimed at obtaining high cottonseed yields and maximum oil and protein output requires further study
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
