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Performance of Paired Nectaried and Nectariless F₃ Cotton Hybrids¹

Amino acids and sugars are removed from cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., nectaries in large amounts by various insects. Nectariless [2(ne₁ne₂)] cottons conceivably could utilize this photosynthate to increase yield or fiber quality. The possibility of identifying superior nectariless populations motivated this study. The objectives were to: 1) evaluate a method of detecting nectariless populations that contained favorable interactions of yield and fiber quality with nectariless genes and 2) determine the magnitude and frequency of occurrence of these favorable interactions.

Nectaried (Ne) and nectariless (ne) hybrid populations were derived from crosses of DES 24-8ne with 19 diverse strains (S) at Stoneville, Mississippi. In 1976, 8 pairs and in 1977, 11 pairs of Ne and ne F₃ hybrids were each grown in six replications at two Stoneville locations. Averaged over both years, nectaried plants had 1.8% larger seeds and 1.6 and 0.9% longer fiber (50 and 2.5% span length, respectively) than nectariless plants. In 1977, boll size in nectaried plants was 1.5% larger than in nectariless ones. No other significant differences or trends were detected. These results reinforced previous studies indicating no strong deleterious association between nectariless and yield and fiber properties. No significant Ne vs. ne x S interactions were detected for lint yield, but small significant interactions were detected for lint percentage in 1977 and 2.5% span length in both years. Breeders should therefore not expect any large increases in yield due to the ability of nectariless plants to utilize the nectar photosynthate for agronomic purposes. However, the detection of favorable small interactions for lint percentage and fiber length suggested small advances in germplasm development.

Key Words: Gene action • Yield • Fiber quality • Host-plan resistance • Gossypium hirsutum L

² Research geneticist, Cotton Physiology and Genetics Laboratory, USDA, SEA, AR, Stoneville, MS 38776.

Received for publication May 12, 1980.