Heterosis in Upland Cotton. I. Growth and Leaf Area Partitioning
1986
Wells, Randall S. | Meredith, William R.
There is relatively little information concerning the physiological alterations that are related to heterosis in cotton Gossypium hirsutum L.). To better understand this phenomenon, growth and partitioning of dry matter in four established upland cotton cultivars and their F₁ hybrid progeny were monitored in three environments. Total biomass was greater in hybrids than their parents in all environments. Growth analysis found that heterosis greatly affected early development of the hybrids. Although increases in leaf area were greater in the progeny, they were proportional to the dry weight growth of the plant, resulting in similar leaf area partitioning (LAP) coefficients for both parents and hybrids. The greater leaf area index of the hybrids, resulting from greater net assimilation rates but similar LAP values, further stimulates growth via greater interception of light and associated photosynthate production prior to the advent of significant interplant competition.
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