Project Number: 5347-21000-009-01
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Jan 01, 2005
End Date: Dec 31, 2007

Objective:
Develop broadly adapted and elite upland cotton germplasm that can be used for fiber quality improvement and heat tolerance for the Southeast and Midsouth. Develop better heat tolerant Acala germplasm for the West. Increase genetic diversity in high qualty cotton gene pools.

Approach:
Several diverse upland populations have already been synthesized. These will be entered into a shuttle breeding selection scheme that utilizes field environments in Arizona. Southeast, West and growth chamber/ greenhouse evaluation. The primary traits evaluated in Arizona in the summer will be advanced for evaluation in breeding programs in Geogia and California. In those locations, the primary considerations will be adaptation, yield and quality. At the Maricopa location, heat stress will be evaluated using pollen sterility and fruit retention measurements. This will provided simultaneous genetic advance for heat stress tolerance, yield and fiber quality. This research should produce new high quality and stress tolerant germplasm that will be "jointly-released" to the public by the USDA-ARS and Cotton Incorporated. Documents Reimbursable with Cotton Inc. Log 28769. Formerly 5347-21000-008-09R (7/06).