Effect of Drought Stress on Seed and Fiber Development in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

E.L. Vigil and D.P. Thibodeaux


 
ABSTRACT

Immature cotton fiber is a causal factor for "white specks" in dyed cloth. The origin and environmental factor(s) involved in formation of immature cotton fiber are unknown. Our collaborative research has provided information suggesting that severe drought stress and stage of fiber development may be factors linked to the production of immature fibers. The effect of drought stress on seed and fiber properties wa a tested using two cotton varieties (DPL 51 and MD-51, a new high strength cotton). Open flowers on greenhouse plants were tagged daily. Severe drought (water withholding) was applied to experimental plants, having a full population of bolls at different stages of development. Analysis of seed and fiber weight, fiber length and carpel and bract weights for developing and mature open bolls of control and treated samples revealed that seeds of MD-51 (aged 20 to 35 days post anthesis, DPA) were most sensitive to drought stress. These seeds had reduced weights ranging from 44 to 90 % that of controls. Differences in fiber length occurred in MD-51 for seeds aged 20 to 30 DPA at the start of the experiment. Weight measurements for bracts and carpels of each variety were only different for bracts of bolls aged 20 to 30 DPA. This period seed development represents the point in time when secondary wall deposition is beginning in the fiber in parallel with onset of storage of lipid and protein in the embryo proper. These results are interpreted to suggest that the early stages (ca. 20-30 DPA) of seed fill and fiber maturation are most sensitive to drought and need to be considered in future studies aimed at ameliorating the impact of drought stress on seed and fiber quality.



Reprinted from 1993 Proceedings Beltwide Cotton Conferences pg. 1174
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998