Pima Cotton Genetics

Abstract

An investigation was conducted to determine the inheritance, allelism, and linkage associations of a spontaneous, male- sterile mutant found in plants of American Pima (Gossypium barbadense L.) cotton. Analyses of F₁, F₂, and BC populations of the mutant indicated that it was inherited as a single, recessive gene. T ests for allelism of the new gene with three previously described recessive male - sterility genes (ms₁, ms₂ and ms₃) were negative. Analyses of F₂ population segregation from crosses to 23 mutant marker stocks produced no evidence of linkage associations. We have proposed that the male sterility mutant be designated male-sterile-13 and be given the gene symbol ms₁₃. A conversion program to convert photoperiodic short-day accessions of a Gossypium barbadense germplasm collection to day neutrality continues.