Heterosis studies for oil content, seed cotton yield and other economic
traits in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)
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Author:S. Ganapathy and N. Nadarajan
p-ISSN:0024-9602, e-ISSN:2582-5321, Vol:95, Issue:jul-dec
DOI:
Abstract
An investigation was carried out to assess the nature and extent of heterosis for
oil content and other economic traits in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) through line x tester
analysis. Among 40 hybrids analyzed, ten hybrids were expressed significantly positive
heterosis for plant height, 15 hybrids for number of sympodia per plant, 16 hybrids for
number of bolls per plant, 11 hybrids for number of seeds per boll, twenty hybrids for seed
cotton yield and 14 hybrids for oil content over better parent. Four hybrids showed significantly
negative heterosis over better parent for days to 50 per cent flowering which indicated
earliness of flowering. The overall study of heterosis indicated that hybrid combinations
viz., Sahana x LRA 5166 and L 604 x MCU 7 exhibited significantly positive heterosis for
all the traits including oil content and seed cotton yield. Two hybrids namely Surabhi x
LRA 5166 and CNH 36 x MCU 7 expressed significantly positive heterosis for all the characters
included in the study except for days to 50 per cent flowering.
Key words : Cotton, heterosis, seed cotton yield, oil content.