FTIR Investigation of Secondary Cell Wall Development in Cotton Fibers

Cotton fiber maturity is a major yield component and an important fiber quality trait that is directly linked to the quantity of cellulose deposited during the secondary cell wall (SCW) biogenesis.  Cotton fiber development consists of five major overlapping stages: differentiation, fiber initiation, fiber elongation, secondary cell wall development, and maturation.  The transition period between 16 and 21 dpa (days post anthesis) is regarded to represent a major developmental stage between the primary cell wall and the SCW.  In this presentation, we will report on the use of Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy to investigate the structural changes that occur during different developmental stages of cotton fibers.