Alleviation of lead-induced physiological, metabolic, and ultramorphological changes in leaves of upland cotton through glutathione.

Plants face changes in leaves under lead (Pb) toxicity. Reduced glutathione (GSH) has several functions in plant metabolism, but its role in alleviating Pb toxicity in cotton leaves is still unknown. In the present study, cotton seedlings (28 days old) were exposed to 500 µM Pb and 50 µM GSH, both alone and in combination, for a period of 10 days, in the Hoagland solution under controlled growth conditions. Results revealed Pb-induced changes in cotton's leaf morphology, photosynthesis, and oxidative metabolism. However, exogenous application of GSH restored leaf growth. GSH triggered build up of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid contents and boosted fluorescence ratios (F v/F m and F v/F 0). Moreover, GSH reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and Pb contents in cotton leaves. Results further revealed that total soluble protein contents were decreased under Pb toxicity; however, exogenously applied GSH improved these contents in cotton leaves. Activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), glutathione reductase (GR), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX)) were also increased by GSH application under Pb toxicity. Microscopic analysis showed that excess Pb shattered thylakoid membranes in chloroplasts. However, GSH stabilized ultrastructure of Pb-stressed cotton leaves. These findings suggested that exogenously applied GSH lessened the adverse effects of Pb and improved cotton's tolerance to oxidative stress.

Mapping of quantitative trait loci for oil content in cottonseed kernel.

Oil content in cottonseed is a major quality trait which when improved through breeding could enhance the competitiveness of cottonseed oil among other vegetable oils. Cottonseed oil content is a quantitative trait controlled by genes in the tetraploid embryo and tetraploid maternal plant genomes, and the knowledge of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and the genetic effects related to oil content in both genomes could facilitate the improvement in its quality and quantity. However, till date, QTL mapping and genetic analysis related to this trait in cotton have only been conducted in the tetraploid embryo genome. In the current experiment, an IF(2) population of cottonseed kernels from the random crossing of 188 intraspecific recombinant inbred lines which were derived from the hybrid of two parents, HS46 and MARCABUCAG8US-1-88, were used to simultaneously locate QTLs for oil content in the embryo and maternal plant genomes. The four QTLs found to be associated with oil content in cottonseed were: qOC-18-1 on chromosome 18; qOC-LG-11 on linkage group 11; qOC-18-2 on chromosome 18; and qOC-22 on chromosome 22. At a high selection threshold of 0.05, there was strong evidence linking the QTLs above the oil content in cottonseed. Embryo additive and dominant effects from the tetraploid embryo genome, as well as maternal additive effects from the tetraploid maternal plant genome were found to be significant contributors to genetic variation in cottonseed oil content.

[Determination of amino acid contents in cottonseeds using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy].

A total of 445 samples with great variability in amino acid contents were harvested for different seasons in different regions for developing calibration equations of amino acid content in cottonseeds. The spectral data of cotton kernel powder was processed using the first derivative mathematical treatment combined with SNV and de-trend, as well as modified partial least squares (MPLS) regression method. The chemometric models for 17 amino acids present in cottonseed were developed, and 12 of them were excellent for the determination of related amino acids, namely asparagic acid, threonine, glutamic acid, glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, lysine, histidine, and arginine, with RPDc of 3.735-7.132 and determination coefficient (r2) of 0.910-0.979 in external validation. For those 12 amino acids, their values predicted by NIRS are comparable to those obtained by the chemical method with good accuracy. The RPDc of serine, methionine, tyrosine and proline were 2.205 -2.814, and their determination coefficient (r2) were 0.800-0.830 in external validation. For those 4 amino acids, the values from NIRS are not so accurate as chemical analysis, but could be used in sample screening in cotton breeding program. While the equation for cystine was useless as its RPDc was only 1.358, which was not suitable for estimating its content in cottonseeds.

[Studies on the cytological characters of the interspecific hybrid F1 among the cultivated species in Gossypium and their genetic relationship].

Interspescific hybridization among four cultivated species in Gossypium (G. herbaceum, G. arboreum, G. hirsutum and G. barbadense) were carried out to produce dispecific hybrids F1, (G. arboreum x G. herbaceum) F1 and (G. hirsutum x G. barbadense) F1, and quadrispecific hybrid F1, which was produced by crossed the chromosome doubled (G. arboreum x G. herbaceum) F1 with (G. hirsutum x G. barbadense) F1. In order to study the evolution relationship among the four cultivated species in Gossypium, the characteristic of chromosome behavior during the meiosis and pollen viability in those interspecific hybrids F1 were studied in this paper. The results showed that the diploid interspecific hybrid, (G. arboreum x G. herbaceum) F1, had a four-chromosome-ring, the chromosome configuration was 2n = 26 = 11 II + 1 IV. And the normal pollen percent was 50.71%, which showed the character of typical gamete semi-sterility, and approved that there was a chromosome translocation between the two diploid cotton species, G. arboreum and G. herbaceum. For the allotetraploid species interspecific hybrid F1, (G. hirsutum x G. barbadense) F1, most of the chromosomes at metaphase I could be paired into bivalents, with a few number of univalents, trivalents, and quardrivalents. The chromosome configuration was 2n = 52 = 0.78 I +22.24 II +0.94 III +0.98 IV, with a normal pollen rate of 54. 84%. The experiment showed that there were a few chromosome translocation or chromosome inversion between the two allotetraploid cotton species, G. hirsutum and G. barbadenses. The meiosis of the quardrispecific hybrid F1 was abnormal, and the loss of chromosomes was common. Most of the chromosomes could not synapse at metaphase I, which led to many univalents and some multivalents. The chromosome configuration of the quardrispecific hybrid F1 was 2n = 52 = 5.45 I +14.41 II +2.44 III +1.59 IV +0.63 V +0.15 VI, and the normal pollen rate was 6.87%, which showed that the relationship of four cultivated cotton species was relatively closed. It is possible to produce a new germplasm with the good characters of the four cultivated species through genetic recombination.