Project Number: 6402-21000-029-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Sep 27, 2003
End Date: Sep 26, 2008

Objective:
Understand the developmental expression and regulation of genes associated with fiber initiation and early fiber development and apply this knowledge to develop strategies for improving lint percentage and fiber quality; use new analytical instruments and improved marker technology to identify and then develop novel indicators of fiber quality; identify genes involved in starch metabolism in stems and roots of cotton that affect carbon partitioning, then characterize the expression of these genes and identify potential targets for manipulating carbohydrate distribution.

Approach:
Identify in EST databases genes that are differentially regulated in cotton fiber mutants, characterize these genes and determine the site of expression by in-situ localization; identify genes that are expressed in fiber initials by differential display and proteomic approaches; use transgenic methods designed to enhance or suppress the expression of target genes to evaluate the role these genes play in fiber development; identify and evaluate measures of fiber traits that are more closely correlated to physiological and biochemical processes underlying fiber properties; evaluate genes encoding key enzymes for carbohydrate biosynthesis and design constructs to alter expression of these genes in order to study partitioning of carboydrates to stems, roots and fiber; develop molecular markers to use for identifying traits associated with fiber quality and pest resistance.