Molecular markers and cotton genetic improvement: current status and future prospects.
Narrow genetic base and complex allotetraploid genome of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is stimulating efforts to avail required polymorphism for marker based breeding. The availability of draft genome sequence of G. raimondii and G. arboreum and next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies facilitated the development of high-throughput marker technologies in cotton. The concepts of genetic diversity, QTL mapping, and marker assisted selection (MAS) are evolving into more efficient concepts of linkage disequilibrium, association mapping, and genomic selection, respectively. The objective of the current review is to analyze the pace of evolution in the molecular marker technologies in cotton during the last ten years into the following four areas: (i) comparative analysis of low- and high-throughput marker technologies available in cotton, (ii) genetic diversity in the available wild and improved gene pools of cotton, (iii) identification of the genomic regions within cotton genome underlying economic traits, and (iv) marker based selection methodologies. Moreover, the applications of marker technologies to enhance the breeding efficiency in cotton are also summarized. Aforementioned genomic technologies and the integration of several other omics resources are expected to enhance the cotton productivity and meet the global fiber quantity and quality demands.
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.
Waqas
W
Malik
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.
Javaria
0000-0001-7326-5921
J
Ashraf
Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Muhammad Zaffar
MZ
Iqbal
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Asif Ali
AA
Khan
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.
Abdul
A
Qayyum
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.
Muhammad
M
Ali Abid
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.
Etrat
E
Noor
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.
Muhammad Qadir
MQ
Ahmad
University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
Ghulam Hasan
GH
Abbasi
D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods*; D005544:Forecasting; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D023281:Genomics; D003368:Gossypium / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics
D005819:Genetic Markers