Inheritance and Use of Golden Crown Virescence in Cotton: And its relationship to other virescent stocks.

A golden-colored seedling was noted in an increase field of the commercial cotton variety, Cobal (Gossypium hirsutum L.) at Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1951. The plant color was very striking through the preblooming stage and easily distinguishable from normal green cotton plants. Subsequent observations revealed that the golden color disappeared almost entirely as leaves reached maturity, but new growth continued to exhibit the golden color throughout the growing season. This pattern of chlorophyll development as the leaves mature, appears to be a case of true virescence. The condition was therefore, designated golden crown virescent to denote the color of the new growth and the subsequent greening of the leaf tissue as it matured.