cotton Gene expression profiles deciphering leaf senescence variation between early- and late-senescence cotton lines

An early-senescence (K1) and a late-senescence (K2) cotton line with the same genetic background, developed by the Cotton Research Center, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, were used in the experiment. Our previous trial showed that both K1 and K2 grew and developed in a similar time-course and performed similarly in shoot and root weights, shoot: root ratio, and plant biomass. However, leaf senescence based on chlorophyll content and photosynthesis in the late season differed significantly between the two cotton lines. Leaves of K1 do senesce earlier than those of K2 after flowering.