The Spatiotemporal Genetic Architecture of Seed Vigor in Upland Cotton
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Seed vigor underpins uniform crop establishment, but its dynamic genetics are understudied. Combining high-resolution temporal phenotyping and genomics in upland cotton, we used the SeedRanger platform to record 17 image-based traits every 30 min over 120 h, revealing stage-specific heritability and identifying 541 seed-vigor loci. These loci show extensive pleiotropy and temporal coordination, forming a genetic network that preserves developmental continuity; 8.9% overlap regions under domestication selection, indicating concurrent optimization with fiber yield. Functional validation of FLA2, a candidate gene underlying a dynamic QTL, implicates auxin-mediated control of radicle elongation and cotyledon development. This temporal framework exposes dynamic genetic architecture and breeding targets for high-vigor crops.
Source: Advanced Science
DOI: 10.1002/advs.76067
Authors: Luyao Wang, Jie Dai, Ting Zhao, Shengjun Zhao, Hongyu Wu, Jiaying Pan, Yupeng Hao, Ke Nie, Li Yu, Yumeng Zhu, Xiangyi Zhao, Kai Huang, Mengke Zhang, Yongyan Zhao, Yaping Jiang, Siyuan Wang, Yiling Pan, Yubing Chen, Yilai Lin, Wanghong Shi, Yayuan Deng, Jin Han, Jie Li, Xuan Long, Junbin Wang, Zhiyuan Zhang, Zegang Han, Zhanfeng Si, Lei Ju, Jun Li, Tianzhen Zhang, Ji Zhou, Xueying Guan
Institutions: Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Zhejiang University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, National Institute of Agricultural Botany, University of Cambridge
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,730
OpenAlex ID: W7164577367