Cotton's Secret Fiber: Manipulating Lignin Biosynthesis for Bast Development

This project addresses cotton (Gossypium spp.) bast fibers as an abundant but overlooked source of natural fiber as replacements for synthetics derived from fossil-fuel feedstocks. Cotton, like hemp, jute, and kenaf, produces long bast fibers in its stalks, but these are left in the field after harvest of the more familiar seed fibers. Unlike traditional bast fiber crops, cotton is grown across millions of acres in the 17 southern states, and could have an immediate impact on rural economies by adding value to the cotton crop and stimulating local industry, without diminishing existing value. As synthetic fibers replaced natural plant fibers after WWII, the existing abundance of cotton bast fiber can reduce dependency on fossil-fuel feedstock and become prominent in textile and manufacturing sectors.

This project evaluates exotic and elite nested association mapping populations for diversity in bast fiber properties. It then analyzes the expression of cell wall biosynthesis genes in developing wood and bast, and conducts targeted genetic manipulation of bast fiber composition to test for improved properties and novel chemistries. Finally, it compares cotton bast fibers with other green-economy fibers, such as hemp, in manufacturing processes to incentivize commercialization.