Ligon Lintless-2 (Li2) is a dominant single-gene mutant in cotton and plants typically have fuzzy seed with short lint fibers. Most Li2 Li2 plants express this typical phenotype. However, three plants were observed that expressed two seed-cotton phenotypes on the same plant. Bolls on one branch on each of these plants expressed normal seed phenotype of fuzzy seed with normal length lint fibers; whereas, bolls on all other branches on these plants expressed the mutant phenotype of fuzzy seed with short lint fibers. Bolls from both branch types of these three plants were harvested by seed-cotton phenotype and seed were planted the following year. Plants from seed with short lint fiber and plants from seed with long lint fiber each produced short fiber plants, normal fiber plants, and plants with both fiber types on the same plant. Plants with two phenotypes on the same plant were stubbed below the branch with the normal bolls and transferred to the greenhouse and the regrowth continued to produce two phenotypes on the same plant. We propose that plants with two boll types on the same plant may be due to incomplete penetrance or lack of consistent expressivity of the dominant gene Li2 phenotype; however, the reoccurrence of the two phenotypes on the regrowth of stubbed plants in the greenhouse suggests that a more fundamental mechanism might be at work. This suggests a need for a deeper understanding of the Li2 allele on the expression and physiology of cotton fiber.
