Diallel Crosses of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) from Burkina Faso and Texas A&M AgriLife Research—1-Analysis of Agronomic Traits to Improve Elite Varieties from Burkina Faso
, Monica Sheehan 2, Carol M. Kelly 2, Sidiki K. Diané 1 and Mahamadou Sawadogo 3
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
In the study, cotton germplasms accessed from Texas A&M AgriLife were used to develop segregating populations and evaluate them for potentially improving Burkina Faso future cultivars, which is a very meaningful work. However, there were some drawbacks for the study.
- The number of the materials used for Diallel Crosses is too small, which could not reflect the real GCA.
- The Genetic analysis was not thorough enough. You can perform the genetic basis analysis of some important traits with the segregationpopulation
Author Response
In the study, cotton germplasms accessed from Texas A&M AgriLife were used to develop segregating populations and evaluate them for potentially improving Burkina Faso future cultivars, which is a very meaningful work. However, there were some drawbacks for the study.
- The number of the materials used for Diallel Crosses is too small, which could not reflect the real GCA.
Thank you for your expertise. We agree with this statement. This project was restricted in the number of parent genotypes that could be imported for crossing using Texas facilities and exported for evaluation in Burkina Faso, the targeted environment. We feel it is important to demonstrate that accepted exercise was used to evaluate utility of the germplasm but recognize the limits. Currently, we leave in the GCA tabulated data, but add a disclaimer at the beginning of the results paragraph and alter the text to discuss trends with the specific germplasm used and not further inferences on general combining ability outside this project. We also altered the abstract to indicate inference specially for specific combining ability. The conclusion of the analysis is not to infer GCA on a large scale to any line, but to eliminate genotypes that would not be useful to include in Burkina Faso’s commercial cultivar development scheme. One uncultivated entry from Burkina (E9) and one uncultivated entry from U. S. (TX 307) although identified to have interesting and phenotypically diverse traits, would introduce counter-objective characteristics difficult to overcome in a cultivar (versus pre-breeding germplasm) development process.
- The Genetic analysis was not thorough enough. You can perform the genetic basis analysis of some important traits with the segregationpopulation
Our intention was to either harvest F1 seed in Burkina or increase seed in Texas to obtain enough seed of segregating populations for genetic analysis in both Texas and Burkina Faso, but it has been difficult to seek further permissions at this point, so a decision was taken to publish results from the parent and F1 evaluation in Burkina. It is our sincere desire to analyze segregating populations in future studies.
Reviewer 2 Report
The content of the manuscript (agronomy-1652525) is within the primary scope of Plant Breeding. You analyzed several hybrids and parents for various agronomic traits. That is fine.
In abstract you did not mention about genetic variance and heterosis. Please also give the information related to weight of lint sample used for fiber quality traits
In methodology add manufacturer of gin roller machine. Also add some meteorological data.
For result section please follow the suggested article entitled with ‘’Genetic Variation Studies of Ionic and within Boll Yield Components in Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.) Under Salt Stress’’.
The discussion part of the manuscript should be improved.
Conclusion should be more precise. The authors should focus on novel contributions to our understanding of these GCA, SCA effects and how heritability is involved in the selection of suitable parents and hybrids.
Author Response
The content of the manuscript (agronomy-1652525) is within the primary scope of Plant Breeding. You analyzed several hybrids and parents for various agronomic traits. That is fine.
In abstract you did not mention about genetic variance and heterosis. Please also give the information related to weight of lint sample used for fiber quality traits
Response:
Reference to heterosis was added in the abstract.
Weight of seed cotton ginned (250 g) was added to section 2.4 to indicate size of sample used to calculate fiber percent and collect a lint sample (250 x FP) for eventual fiber analysis.
In methodology add manufacturer of gin roller machine. Also add some meteorological data.
Response:
Description of laboratory gin was modified to indicate it is a saw gin manufactured in USA by Baldor Electric Company in Fort Smith, AR. Additional meteorological data besides the specific location coordinates is unfortunately not readily available for that site.
For result section please follow the suggested article entitled with ‘’Genetic Variation Studies of Ionic and within Boll Yield Components in Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.) Under Salt Stress’’.
Response:
Thank you for the excellent suggestion as the paper recommended is well organized and compares genetic and combining affects under normal and salt-stressed conditions. Since the aim of the study is cultivar improvement potential specifically for Burkina Faso, we did not include a comparison test in Texas. However, we divided the SCA section into earliness, vegetative, and reproductive characteristics as the recommended article subdivided results by characteristics measured. The GCA section was significantly altered and shortened due to recommendations in another review, so that section was not subdivided.
The discussion part of the manuscript should be improved.
Response:
Revisions were made to the text in discussion to make it more succinct; specifically reducing broad inference from GCA analysis and referring to tables instead of repeating specific results from the results section.
Conclusion should be more precise. The authors should focus on novel contributions to our understanding of these GCA, SCA effects and how heritability is involved in the selection of suitable parents and hybrids.
Response:
Thank you for the excellent suggestion, and a reminder that our study was limited in the number of parents and generations, we could evaluate for the primary objective of addressing cotton breeding progress stagnation in Burkina Faso. We considerably shortened the conclusions sections and focused on identifying parents and traits that could add value to the objective based on results from analysis.
Reviewer 3 Report
Good approach to the problem.
This research involves a diallele analysis of a set of six lines from United States and six lines from Burkano Faso. Four of the US lines were from the research program of Texas Agrilife Research at Lubbock Texas.
The experiment was designed and conducted properly. The conclusions are supported by the data. The general conclusion is that the cotton breeders in Burkano Faso Africa can use these populations derived from these 66 crosses as a broad basis for improvement of cotton breeding in Burkano Faso. Thus, the goal of the research was achieved and a wider genetic base has been established for cotton breeding in Burkano Faso.
An additional strength of the manuscript is that it measured several important traits in cotton and keep an emphasis on fiber quality which is very important for cotton producers in Burkano Faso. The manuscript is tediousto read because there are12 parents and 66 hybrid lines in the study and it is difficult for the reader to keep up with all the names.
Perhaps the authors could develop some acronyms or some graphical way could be devised to present the data to make it less tedious to read. I did not try to develop a method to do this, but if the manuscript is revised, the authors could consider this as an alternative.
The authors also identified several hybrid combinations that should also be useful if the choice is to use hybrids in the Burkano Faso production system.
Overall the manuscript represents a valuable contribution to cotton breeding in Burkano Faso. The authors achieved their objectives as a research paper and as a means of broadening the genetic diversity of cotton breeding in Burkano Faso.
The authors are commended for a good piece of research with practical implications.
Author Response
Good approach to the problem.
This research involves a diallele analysis of a set of six lines from United States and six lines from Burkano Faso. Four of the US lines were from the research program of Texas Agrilife Research at Lubbock Texas.
The experiment was designed and conducted properly. The conclusions are supported by the data. The general conclusion is that the cotton breeders in Burkano Faso Africa can use these populations derived from these 66 crosses as a broad basis for improvement of cotton breeding in Burkano Faso. Thus, the goal of the research was achieved and a wider genetic base has been established for cotton breeding in Burkano Faso.
An additional strength of the manuscript is that it measured several important traits in cotton and keep an emphasis on fiber quality which is very important for cotton producers in Burkano Faso. The manuscript is tediousto read because there are12 parents and 66 hybrid lines in the study and it is difficult for the reader to keep up with all the names.
Perhaps the authors could develop some acronyms or some graphical way could be devised to present the data to make it less tedious to read. I did not try to develop a method to do this, but if the manuscript is revised, the authors could consider this as an alternative.
Response:
We added acronym code names BF1 through BF6 for the lines originating from Burkina Faso, and TX1 through TX6 for the lines originating from Texas throughout the results section, so if the reader is not interested in specific lines, they can quickly discern parent origin in the hybrid designation. If this does not improve the reading alacrity of the manuscript, we are happy to change it back or consider other alternatives.
The authors also identified several hybrid combinations that should also be useful if the choice is to use hybrids in the Burkano Faso production system.
Response:
At this time, the strategy is to continue the research on future segregating populations for open-pollinated cultivar development, but the data are available in case hybrid seed production potential is investigated.
Overall the manuscript represents a valuable contribution to cotton breeding in Burkano Faso. The authors achieved their objectives as a research paper and as a means of broadening the genetic diversity of cotton breeding in Burkano Faso.
The authors are commended for a good piece of research with practical implications.
Response:
Thank you for your encouragement. International germplasm exchange is becoming more difficult, and under the auspices of specific programs, bringing breeding projects to full fruition is restricted by time constraints. Our hope is that publication of these efforts, even with limits on time, germplasm, and facilities, will demonstrate the importance of overcoming these challenges for the benefit of crop improvement.
Reviewer 4 Report
Title: Diallel Crosses of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) from Burkina Faso and Texas A&M AgriLife Research – 1-Analysis of Agronomic Traits to Improve Elite Varieties from Burkina Faso
The research is well conducted and the paper is properly written, however I appreciate if authors may kindly take into consideration the following changes:
Abstract: The abstract is long therefore should be shortened. A background statement should be added before the aim of the study.
Introduction: A hypothesis should be added in the Introduction section.
Author Response
Title: Diallel Crosses of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) from Burkina Faso and Texas A&M AgriLife Research – 1-Analysis of Agronomic Traits to Improve Elite Varieties from Burkina Faso
The research is well conducted and the paper is properly written, however I appreciate if authors may kindly take into consideration the following changes:
Abstract: The abstract is long therefore should be shortened. A background statement should be added before the aim of the study.
Response:
We removed some of the more tedious results in the abstract and added a brief background statement.
Introduction: A hypothesis should be added in the Introduction section.
Response:
Thank you for this suggestion. A hypothesis specific to this study of parents and F1 hybrids is added just before the last sentence in the Introduction (the sentence that describes the next step of evaluating segregating populations).
