Table S1. Comparisons of fiber maturity measured by HVI, AFIS, and image analysis microscopy (IAM).

Research groups / Growing condition / HVI MIC / AFIS MR3 / IAM MR4 / References
im / TM-1 / im / TM-1 / im / TM-1 / im / TM-1 / im / TM-1 / im / TM-1
USDA-ARS,
SRRC / 2006 field1 / 2.73 / 4.35 / 0.63 / 0.87 / 0.92 / 0.95 / 0.64 / 0.87 / 0.74 / Kim et al. 2013*
2011 field1 / 3.17 / 4.18 / 0.76 / 0.92 / 0.92 / 1.00 / 0.71 / 1.06 / 0.67 / Present
work
2014 field1 / 2.97 / 5.27 / 0.56 / 0.93 / 1.00 / 0.93 / 0.54 / 0.99 / 0.55
Texas Tech Univ. / 2006 field2 / 2.00 / 2.80 / 0.71 / 0.74 / 0.82 / 0.90 / Not measured / Kothari et al. 2007**
2007 greenhouse2 / 2.00 / 3.20 / 0.63 / 0.78 / 0.84 / 0.93

1Cotton field of the USDA-ARS-SRRC located at New Orleans, LA.

2Cotton field and greenhouse of the Texas Tech University located at Lubbock, TX.

3Each group used its own Uster® AFIS-Pro instrument at its location.

4IAM (image analysis microscopy). The MR value of TM-1 or im fibers was measured from more than 300 cross-sections.

*Kim HJ, Moon HS, Delhom CD, Zeng L, Fang DD (2013a) Molecular markers associated with the immature fiber (im) gene affecting the degree of fiber cell wall thickening in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Theoretical and Applied Genetics 126:23-31

**Kothari, N., Abidi, N., Hequet, E., Wilkins, T. (2007, September). Fiber Quality Variability Within a Plant. InWorld Cotton Research Conference-4, Lubbock, Texas, USA, 10-14 September 2007. International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).

Table S2. Fineness values measured by Cottonscope or IAM from fully developed (48 DPA) im and TM-1 fibers

Fineness (mtex) / im / TM-1 / Ratio
(im/TM-1) / p-value
by t test^
Mean / SEM / N / Mean / SEM / N
Cottonscope / 158.86 / 1.76 / 6 / 211.43 / 0.70 / 6 / 0.75 / < 0.0001***
IAM^^ / 165.60 / 3.04 / 251 / 268.33 / 4.66 / 224 / 0.62 / < 0.0001***

^Statistical significance was shown at the probability levels under 0.05*, 0.01**, and 0.001***

^^IAM Fineness (H) was calculated from an equation, H = ρA where ρ is the average cell wall density (1.52 g/cm3) and A is the cell wall area of the cross-sectioned fibers.

Table S3. Comparison of crystalline and amorphous cellulose between TM-1 wild type and im fibers by Rietveld method

Lines / DPA / Methods / Sig GOF / Rwp % / Maud %
Iβ / Maud %
amorphous / amorph
size* (Å) / Excel %
Iβ / Excel %
amorph / Excel %
bkgrnd / Excel
Iβ/(Iβ+Iamorph)
24 / no amorph / 1.79 / 2.92 / - / - / - / 21.76 / - / 78.24
with amorph / 1.59 / 2.6 / 67.17 / 32.82 / 16.99 / 19.08 / 5.12 / 75.75 / 78.84
37 / no amorph / 2.58 / 3.67 / - / - / - / 33.76 / - / 66.24
TM-1 / with amorph / 2.29 / 3.27 / 85.08 / 14.92 / 42.4 / 30.68 / 3.17 / 66.08 / 90.64
no amorphbaxis refined / 2.37 / 3.38 / - / - / - / 33.35 / - / 66.57
with amorphbaxis refined / 2.17 / 3.09 / 87.97 / 12.03 / 49.48 / 30.72 / 2.51 / 66.7 / 92.45
48 / no amorph / 1.84 / 2.72 / - / - / - / 26.84 / - / 73.11
with amorph / 1.77 / 2.66 / 86.76 / 13.23 / 51.9 / 25.94 / 1.3 / 72.71 / 95.23
24 / no amorph
(w/amorph same) / 2.33 / 3.58 / - / - / - / 21.09 / - / 78.81
with amorph
(refine all MD planes)^ / 1.5 / 2.3 / - / - / 0.66 / 22.21 / 1.74 / 75.99 / 92.73
im / 37 / no amorph / 2.02 / 3.02 / - / - / - / 27.82 / - / 72.11
with amorph / 1.74 / 2.6 / 78.22 / 21.78 / 36.9 / 25.13 / 3.23 / 71.59 / 88.61
48 / no amorph / 2.13 / 3.17 / - / - / - / 26.74 / - / 73.19
with amorph / 1.97 / 2.93 / 86.79 / 13.21 / 44.97 / 24.95 / 2.08 / 72.9 / 92.30

* crystallite sizes less than 20 Å would be considered amorphous.

^all directions (h, k, and l) were tested for preferred orientation for the crystallineIβ phase. The 001 planes were tested for preferred orientation for the amorphous phase.

Table S4. Comparison of crystal properties between TM-1 wild type and im fibers by Rietveld method

Lines / DPA / Methods / a-axis* / b-axis* / γ-angle* / isotropic size (Å) / MD 001
24 / no amorph / 7.88 / - / 95.75 / 52.32 / 2.071
with amorph / 7.86 / - / 95.54 / 58.94 / 2.047
37 / no amorph / 7.85 / - / 96.14 / 54.64 / 1.954
TM-1 / with amorph / 7.83 / - / 96 / 58.82 / 2.109
no amorphbaxis refined / 7.85 / 8.07 / 96.2 / 55.39 / 1.896
with amorphbaxis refined / 7.83 / 8.1 / 96.06 / 58.69 / 2.084
48 / no amorph / 7.85 / - / 96.15 / 66.49 / 3.079
with amorph* / 7.84 / - / 96.11 / 68.31 / 3.222
24 / no amorph (w/amorph same) / 7.89 / - / 95.05 / 56.78 / 1.558
with amorph (refine all MD planes) / 7.9 / - / 96.01 / 57.28 / 5.222
im / 37 / no amorph / 7.88 / - / 96.26 / 55.18 / 2.492
with amorph / 7.86 / - / 96.11 / 59.85 / 2.676
48 / no amorph / 7.82 / - / 95.84 / 60.08 / 2.1415
with amorph / 7.81 / - / 95.86 / 65.92 / 2.2951

*Nishiyama values: a=7.784, b=8.201, and γ=96.55o.