The document discusses constraints in cotton breeding including a narrow genetic base used by breeders, limited germplasm exchange between countries and companies, and a shift to short-term breeding objectives. It notes that conventional breeding and molecular genetics are both needed to improve cotton varieties. It proposes solutions such as combining conventional and molecular breeding, shortening selection times using haploids, changing multi-location testing practices, and avoiding discarding genotypes to preserve genetic resources.

2. ■ Huzaifa Ismail
■Sec – A
■Roll # 006

3. Constraints
in
Cotton
Breeding

4. Introduction
■ Cotton
– Family: Malvaceae
– Genus: Gossypium
■ Cotton is self pollinated crop.
■ But in the presence of suitable
insect pollinators can exhibit some
cross-pollination.

5. Objectives of Plant Breeding
■High production of lint fiber.
■Improvement of fiber quality
■Resistance to environmental stress
■Early maturity.
■Resistance to disease
■Resistance to insect injury

6. Constraints in Cotton breeding
Genetic Base
Molecular
Genetics
Focus in Cotton
Breeding
Germplasm
Constraints in Cotton breeding

7. Genetic base
1. Genetic base of current varieties is narrow.
2. Only a limited circle of varieties are hybridized to
produce newer varieties.
3. Individual companies or public sector breeding teams
are using their own varieties for the sake of
maintaining their known and accepted stylized series.
4. Breeders themselves have fused this problem into
their breeding programs

8. Germplasm exchange
1.Germplasm exchange has almost disappeared.
2. Germplasm availability is freedom that a breeder has to
obtain and use any genetic material that exists in or outside a
country.
3.There are some prohibited varieties in some countries which
restricts breeders’ to freely use any genetic material.
4.These restrictions inhibit further development of innovative
cultivars.
5.Import of Germplasm from other countries is also costly.

9. Focus in cotton breeding
■ The focus in cotton breeding has shifted to short-
term objectives to achieve quick returns.
■ Budgets for long-term fundamental scientific
research are shrinking.

10. Molecular genetics
Conventional breeding is replaced by biotechnological
approaches.
Public sector programs and institutions will retreat
from classical plant breeding.
Conventional breeding and molecular genetics are
complementary and both are needed to fundamentally
improve cotton varieties.

11. Solution for constraints in breeding of
Cotton
■ Breeding” together with “molecular breeding”
■ Selection
■ Multi-location performance testing
■ Discarding genotypes

12. “Conventional breeding” together with
“molecular breeding”
 Conventional breeding and molecular genetics are
complementary and both are needed to fundamentally improve
cotton varieties.

13. Selection
• The long process of selection, currently followed for the sake of
producing a homozygous population, has to be shortened.
• The production of haploid plants, and the doubling of chromosomes in
the cotton genome should be promoted.

14. Multi-location performance testing
 Time consuming aspect of breeding is multi-location performance
testing of varieties under varied sets of agronomic practices needs to be
changed.
It is not economical to test candidate varieties at many locations,
under various sets of agronomic situations.
Make selections based just on normal conditions.
Researchers should developed ‘global varieties’ that will perform
equally well anywhere in cotton producing areas.

15. Discarding genotypes
• Discarding genotypes, which is routine, is a
waste of genetic resources.