Segregation analysis of the mixed genetic model of major gene plus polygene was used to identify the major genes for cotton yield-related traits using six generations P1, P2, F1, B1, B2, and F2 generated from the cross of Baimian 1 × TM-1. In addition to boll size and seed index, the major genes for the other five traits were detected: one each for seed yield, lint percentage, boll number, lint index; and two for lint yield. Quantitative trait locus/loci (QTL) mapping was performed in the F2 and F2:3 populations of above cross through molecular marker technology, and a total of 50 QTL (26 suggestive and 24 significant) for yield-related traits were detected. Four common QTL were discovered: qLP-3b(F2)/qLP-3(F2:3) and qLP-19b (F2)/qLP-19(F2:3) for lint percentage, qBN-17(F2)/qBN-17(F2:3) for boll number, and qBS-26b(F2)/qBS-26(F2:3) for boll size. Especially, qLP- 3b(F2)/qLP-3(F2:3), not only had LOD scores >3 but also exceeded the permutation threshold (5.13 and 5.29, respectively), correspondingly explaining 23.47 and 29.55% of phenotypic variation. This QTL should be considered preferentially in marker assisted selection (MAS). Segregation analysis and QTL mapping could mutually complement and verify, which provides a theoretical basis for genetic improvement of cotton yield-related traits by using major genes (QTL).

The joint analysis of the mixed genetic model of major gene and polygene was conducted to study the inheritance of cryotolerance in cotton during the overwintering period. H077 (G. hirsutum L., weak cryotolerance) and H113 (G. barbadence L., strong cryotolerance) were used as parents. Cryotolerance of six generation populations including P1, P2, F1, B1, B2, and F2, from each of the two reciprocal crosses H077×H113 and H113×H077 were all investigated. The results showed that cryotolerance in cotton during the overwintering period was accorded with two additive major genes and additivedominance polygene genetic model. For cross H077×H113, the heritabilities of major genes in B1, B2, and F2 were 83.62, 76.84, and 90.56%, respectively; and the heritability of polygene could only be detected in B2, which was 7.76%. For cross H113×H077, the heritabilities of major genes in B1, B2, and F2 were 67.42, 68.95, and 83.40%, respectively; and the heritability of polygene was only detected in F2, which was 6.51%. In addition, the whole heritability in F2 was always higher than that in B1 and B2 in each cross. Therefore, for the cryotolerance breeding of perennial cotton, the method of single cross recombination or single backcross should be adopted to transfer major genes, and the selection in F2 would be more efficient than that in other generations.