Taxonomic relationship between mocó cotton and Gossypium mustelinum in the Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Mocó cotton (Gossypium hirsutum r. marie-galante Hutch.) grown in the Northeastern Brazil is a plant of unknown origin and only conjectures can be made about its appearance in this region. The objective of the present study was to compare 'mocó' against G. mustelinum Miers in order to contribute for the understanding of its origin and botanical classification. The study was carried out by comparing G. mustelinum against seven types of mocó cotton represented by: mocozinho, mocó-vale-do-seridó, francisco-raimundo, cream fiber, genetically improved mocó, mocó resembling G. barbadense and, mocó with tendency to G. mustelinum. The variables studied were leaf, bract and flower, which were measured in five plants selected at random before flowering. The method consisted of cluster and main components analysis, as well as of canonical discriminant analysis. The results favor the hypothesis that G. mustelinum is not the ancestor of mocó cotton grown in the Northeastern Brazil.