Cross Compatibility of Cultivars of Gossypium Hirsutum L. and Feral Gossypium Barbadense L. in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania
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Date
2012-12
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Abstract
Cotton is the second most important cash crop contributing about 15% to the annual foreign earning in
Tanzania and is purely from Gossypium hirsutum L. cultivars. Gossypium barbadense L., a textile
source in other parts of the world occurs as a feral perennial of ornamental and medicinal value in
home gardens. G. barbadense L. is a natural host of the red bollworm, a destructive pest to cotton. The
Southern Highlands (SH) of Tanzania have been quarantined from cotton production to control spread
of the red bollworm to other growing areas. Transgenic cotton expressing the delta-endotoxin genes
from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) offers an alternative control to the pest and reduced dependence on
insecticide. Gene flow between wild or valued feral relatives and transgenic crops is a biosafety
concern should transgene escape result in resistance development and contamination of germplasm.
Potential gene flow between feral G. barbadense (including accessions Gb1 and Gb2) from the SH and
G. hirsutum cultivars was assessed using controlled hybridization. The crosses produced fertile F1 but
intraspecific seeds from G. barbadense did not germinate. G. barbadense is more likely to receive than
donate genes implying development of pest resistance if introgressed filial generations express the Bt
product.
Description
Keywords
Hybridization, Gene flow, Morphological markers, Feral cotton, Bollworms, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton
Citation
Shilla, O. and Tibazarwa, F.I., 2012. Cross compatibility of cultivars of Gossypium hirsutum L. and feral Gossypium barbadense L. in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 7(47), pp.6289-6296.