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Evolution characteristics related to photosynthesis, growth and yield in some old and new cotton cultivars

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

Changes in photosynthetic attributes related to genetic improvement of cotton yield were studied in seven Chinese cotton cultivars widely grown in Xinjiang during the past 30 years. Our results showed that a chlorophyll (Chl) content and net photosynthetic rate (P N) of the 1980s cultivar was the highest among all after 60 days from planting (DAP). However, after 75 DAP, the Chl content, P N, and actual photochemical efficiency of PSII of the old cultivars declined gradually, whereas those of the new cultivars remained relatively high. Compared to the old cultivars, leaves of the new cultivars endured a longer period and their senescence was slower, shoot and boll dry mass was higher, but the root to shoot ratio was lower. The lint yield of the 2000s cultivars was 14.7 and 21.4% higher than that of 1990s and 1980s cultivars, respectively. The high yield of the new cultivars was attributed to a greater number of bolls per unit of area with high lint percentage. We suggested that the improved photosynthetic capacity and the increased ability to deliver photosynthates to reproductive sites during the peak boll-setting stage to boll-opening stage were the key physiological basis in the evolution process of cotton cultivars from 1980s to 2000s for the cotton yield improvement within a short growing period.

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Abbreviations

C i :

intercellular CO2 concentration

DM:

dry mass

g s :

stomatal conductance

Fv/Fm :

maximal efficiency photochemistry of PSII

LA:

leaf area

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

DAP:

days after planting

ΦPSII :

actual photochemical efficiency of PSII

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology Agriculture of Xinjiang Construction Crops, College of Agriculture, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832003, China

    H. H. Luo, H. L. Zhang, Y. L. Zhang & W. F. Zhang

  2. Hami Meteorological Bureau, Hami, 839000, China

    H. L. Zhang

Authors
  1. H. H. Luo
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  2. H. L. Zhang
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  3. Y. L. Zhang
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  4. W. F. Zhang
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Correspondence to W. F. Zhang.

Additional information

Acknowledgements: This study was financially supported by the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of The Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (2014BB009), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31460325 and U1203283), and the Pairing Program of Shihezi University with Eminent Scholar in Elite University (SDJDZ201510).

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Luo, H.H., Zhang, H.L., Zhang, Y.L. et al. Evolution characteristics related to photosynthesis, growth and yield in some old and new cotton cultivars. Photosynthetica 55, 301–307 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-016-0223-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-016-0223-9

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