&lt;b&gt;Interrelations between agronomic and technological fiber traits in upland cotton

Paulo Eduardo Teodoro,Pedro Crescêncio Souza Carneiro,Francisco José Correia Farias,Josiane Isabela Silva Rodrigues,Luiz Paulo De Carvalho,Leonardo Lopes Bhering

doi:10.4025/actasciagron.v40i1.39364

Abstract

Fiber length stands out among technological traits as one that still needs to be improved in cotton. Thus, the objectives of this work were to quantify the interrelations between agronomic and technological fiber traits and to identify traits that could be used for the indirect selection of cotton genotypes with longer fiber lengths. Agronomic and technological traits were evaluated in 36 elite lines of cotton that were cultivated in three environments. Canonical correlations were estimated between two groups of traits: agronomic and technological. Path analysis was performed that considered fiber length as the primary dependent variable. The genotypes presented variability in all the evaluated traits, and no significant genotype vs. environmental interaction was observed for any of them. The main technological traits of cotton crops can be improved by an indirect selection of agronomic traits. The selection of cotton genotypes with a smaller size and a higher mean boll weight can be used to increase fiber length and improve other technological traits. Selection indices containing plant height, mean boll weight, fiber strength, and fiber uniformity can be one of the main strategies for the selection of cotton genotypes with a high yield of cotton bolls and long fibers.

Highlights

Upland cotton (Gossypium hirssutum L.r. latifolium Hutch.) produces one of the most important textile fibers in the world, being one of the most economically important crops in Brazil (Carvalho, Farias, & Rodrigues, 2015a)
In order to become competitive in the cotton global market, dominated by the United States, whose fiber is of excellent quality, Brazilian breeding programs aim at selecting genotypes with longer fibers, greater strength
Significant correlation values from the t-test were highlighted with bold edges, negative correlations were expressed in gray lines, and positive correlations were expressed in black lines

Summary

Introduction

Upland cotton (Gossypium hirssutum L.r. latifolium Hutch.) produces one of the most important textile fibers in the world, being one of the most economically important crops in Brazil (Carvalho, Farias, & Rodrigues, 2015a). 40, e39364, 2018 during spinning and baling, lower content of short fibers, and greater uniformity of length and mature fibers. All these traits are desirable to increase the processing speed in the textile industry (Smith, Hague, Hequet, Thaxton, & Brown, 2008). Fibers length is among the technological traits that still need to be improved, it is essential the knowledge on correlations between agronomic and technological traits in breeding programs is essential This is because when the selection is carried out based on one trait, changes occur in other traits of agronomic importance that are correlated with each other. Two biometric techniques stand out to direct the multiple trait selection strategies: canonical correlations and path analysis

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion