Experiences in Breeding for FOV4 Resistance/Tolerance in Upland and Molecular Breeding Opportunities

Since first identified and reported in California, fusarium wilt race 4 (FOV4) has been a threat to cotton production, and the response to this pathogen infection has been different between Pima and Upland cotton. Progress has been made in identifying and developing resistant/tolerant Pimas. Now with the recent identification of FOV4 in the El Paso, TX area, it is important to increase the resistance/tolerance level of the Upland gene pool to stop any vulnerability of the cotton industry in the US. In this presentation, experiences and progress made so far from collaborative projects of public researchers for breeding for FOV4 resistance/tolerance will be addressed, as well as, the molecular mapping approached taken to identify markers for marker assistant selection or MAS and challenges along the way.