Fiber Elongation and Dry Weight Changes in Mutant Lines of Cotton1

Genetic variation in fiber elongation and secondary cell wall deposition in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) was studied using three monogenic mutant lines (Ligon lintless, Pilose, and immature fiber) and two genetically diverse normal lines (Z2557 and Texas Marker‐1). Because it has been shown that secondary cell Wall deposition can begin before fiber elongation ceases, this experiment studied the genetic variability and interrelations between these two features of fiber development. The fiber development of these lines demonstrated that it is possible to alter, through genetic manipulation, either elongation or dry weight increase of the fibers without appreciably changing the other, thus demonstrating that fiber elongation and secondary cell‐wall deposition are not necessarily controlled by the same genetic factors.