Identification of drought tolerant cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Genotypes by biophysical and physiological traits

Abstract

Drought is the major ecological factors limiting crop production and food quality globally, especially in arid and semi-arid areas which affect the physiology of cotton and causes reduction in crop growth and yield. An experiment was conducted during 2011-12 kharif in relatively arid area at ARS Annigeri, Karnataka using 30 Gossypium hirsutum genotypes. The genotypes were critically evaluated for their performance for drought tolerance physiological traits and analyzed. There was significant difference between genotypes for SLW, leaf water potential, SPAD values, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, leaf temperature and seed cotton yield. The genotypes GIHV-218 followed by CNH-120MP, KH-155, ARB-9701, CPB-750, Sahana, RAH-101 and RAH-50 recorded significantly high values for drought tolerant traits and yield attributes. Hence these genotypes can be further utilized as parents to develop drought tolerant genotypes by breeding. The genotypes H-2076, H-1353 and KH-138 performed poor and are relatively drought susceptible.