# Phenotypic Genetic Analysis of Fruit Branch Angle in Upland Cotton

## TL;DR

This study analyzes the genetic variation of fruit branch angle in upland cotton to guide breeding for better plant architecture and yield.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the genetic diversity and optimal range of fruit branch angle in upland cotton for improved breeding.

## Key findings

- Fruit branch angle in cotton ranges from 43.59–69.32° with a broad-sense heritability of 75.50%.
- Cotton with a fruit branch angle of 50.46–55.31° shows the best overall performance, including higher yield.
- Fruit branch angle has decreased over time, with increased genetic diversity and coefficient of variation.

## Abstract

This study aims to reveal the genetic variation of fruit branch angle (FBA) in upland cotton, thereby providing a scientific basis and practical guidance for cotton architecture breeding. We explored the genetic variation pattern of FBA in 300 upland cottons from different regions and different periods, respectively. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis were used to comprehensively evaluate the plant architecture traits and yield traits in 300 upland cottons. The results demonstrated that the range of variation of FBA in cotton was 43.59–69.32°, the coefficient of variation ranged from 6.06% to 7.42%, and the broad-sense heritability was 75.50%. The order of FBA in different regions was as follows: Foreign Germplasm (FG; 56.77°) > Yellow River Region (YRR; 56.24°) > Yangtze River Region (YZRR; 56.16°) > Liaoning Special Maturing Region (LSMR; 55.35°) > Northwest Inland Region (NIR; 55.25), which is rich in genetic diversity. FBA in cotton in different periods had obvious differences. FBA was the largest before 1960, and as the period progressed, FBA showed an overall fluctuating decrease, whose coefficient of variation and genetic diversity index tended to increase. In this study, it was found that when the range of FBA was 50.46–55.31°, cotton had the best overall performance, with compact architecture, fewer empty fruit branches, more bells, and higher yield, which can be further developed and utilized as an excellent cotton germplasm resource.