Genetic evaluation of conventional, gms and cms based hybrids in upland cotton (Gosypium hirsutum L.)

Abstract

Cotton is one of the most momentous and important cash crops exercising profound influence on economics and social affairs of the world. It is also called White Gold. The present investigation was conducted with 52 Gosypium hirsutum entries comprising of 42 F1s produced by Conventional (14 F1s), GMS(14 F1s) and CMS(14 F1s) method, by using same 7 females and 2 males and 1 check were evaluated at three locations viz., Surat, Bharuch and Hansot. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block design (RBD) with three replications. Analysis of variance showed significance difference among the characters. The s.c.a. variances were greater than g.c.a. variances for Plant height, number of sympodia per plant, number of monopodia per plant, number of bolls per plant, boll weight, ginning percentage, seed yield per plant, 2.5 per cent span length and fibre length except days to 50 per cent flowering, seeds per boll and seed index, indicating the non-additive gene effects, thus, it emphasizes the use of heterosis breeding approach to exploit available vigour in this crop. The parents, G (B) 20 was found to be good general combiner for all the traits except plant height and ginning percentage and average combiner for days to 50 per cent flowering, seed index and fibre strength, whereas, LRK-516 was found to be good general combiner for all the traits except ginning percentage and average combiner for 2.5 per cent span length and number of bolls per plant. Therefore, these two parents were noted as good source of favorable genes for increasing seed cotton yield through various yield contributing characters.