EN
Cotton (Gossypium L.) fiber strength is linked with many complex physiological and biochemical processes in the stage of secondary fiber cell wall thickening. With the aim of further exploiting of the relationship between fiber strength and genotypic differences in physiological characteristics, the experiment was implemented in Nanjing, China (in the lower reach of Yangtze River Valley in China) at the stage of cotton fiber thickening stage in 2004–2005. The result showed that the higher strength fiber (genotype Kemian 1) always had higher activities of sucrose synthetase (SuSy) and β-1,3-glucan synthase, and more sucrose and callose existed and transformed for cellulose synthesis than these of the other genotypes during the fiber secondary wall thickening period These resulted in a longer and more gently cellulose accumulation and wider range and longer period of fiber strength enhancing. Interestingly, the opposite effects were observed in lower strength fiber of Dexiamian 1 and intermediary indices were found in NuCOTN 33B with middle strength fiber. Taken together, above results suggested the variations in the transformation of sucrose and callose contents, and the dynamics of sucrose synthase and β-1,3-glucan synthase activities, might be one of the physiological reasons causing the differences in the speed of cellulose accumulation and fiber strength formation. Additionally, other results showed: (1) the occurrence of callose content peak might be an important sign of the onset of the secondary wall thickening in the fiber cell; (2) the duration and the maximum growth rate of cellulose rapid accumulation contribute more to fiber strength development than other indices of cellulose rapid accumulation.