Genome-Wide Association Study of Lint Percentage in Gossypium hirsutum L. Races.

Lint percentage is one of the most essential yield components and an important economic index for cotton planting. Improving lint percentage is an effective way to achieve high-yield in cotton breeding worldwide, especially upland cotton ( L.). However, the genetic basis controlling lint percentage has not yet been systematically understood. Here, we performed a genome-wide association mapping for lint percentage using a natural population consisting of 189 accessions (188 accessions of races and one cultivar TM-1). The results showed that 274 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with lint percentage were detected, and they were distributed on 24 chromosomes. Forty-five SNPs were detected at least by two models or at least in two environments, and their 5 Mb up- and downstream regions included 584 makers related to lint percentage identified in previous studies. In total, 11 out of 45 SNPs were detected at least in two environments, and their 550 Kb up- and downstream region contained 335 genes. Through RNA sequencing, gene annotation, qRT-PCR, protein-protein interaction analysis, the -elements of the promotor region, and related miRNA prediction, and were selected as key candidate genes for fiber initiation and elongation, respectively. These excavated SNPs and candidate genes could supplement marker and gene information for deciphering the genetic basis of lint percentage and facilitate high-yield breeding programs of ultimately.