The Gossypium stocksii genome as a novel resource for cotton improvement

Cotton is an important textile crop whose gains in production over the last century have been challenged by various diseases. Because many modern cultivars are susceptible to several pests and pathogens, breeding efforts have included attempts to introgress wild, naturally resistant germplasm into elite lines. Gossypium stocksii is a wild cotton species native to Africa, which is part of a Glade of vastly understudied species. Most of what is known about this species comes from pest resistance surveys and/or breeding efforts, which suggests that G. stocksii could be a valuable reservoir of natural pest resistance. Here, we present a high-quality de novo genome sequence for G. stocksii. We compare the G. stocksii genome with resequencing data from a closely related, understudied species (Gossypium somalense) to generate insight into the relatedness of these cotton species. Finally, we discuss the utility of the G. stocksii genome for understanding pest resistance in cotton, particularly resistance to cotton leaf curl virus.

Automated summary

Cotton, an important textile crop, has faced production challenges due to various diseases, leading breeding efforts to focus on introgressing wild, naturally resistant germplasm. Gossypium stocksii, a wild cotton species from Africa, could be a valuable reservoir of natural pest resistance, as suggested by pest resistance surveys and breeding efforts. The high-quality de novo genome sequence of G. stocksii provides insights into pest resistance in cotton, particularly resistance to cotton leaf curl virus, highlighting its utility in breeding programs.