Studies on heterosis and combining ability analysis for yield, yield contributing and fibre quality traits in BT cotton (BG I) (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

The present experiment was conducted by using thirty one cotton genotypes along with two standard checks at Cotton research station, Nanded, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani. The investigation was carried out during kharif 2022-23 in randomized block design with two replications. A set of thirty one genotypes were used to estimate heterosis and combining ability for yield, yield contributing and fibre quality traits along with the sucking pest tolerance using Line x Tester mating design. The observations were noted on twenty traits. Yield and yield contributing traits included days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of sympodia per plant, number of bolls per plant, seed cotton yield per plant and boll weight. While economic traits comprised traits i.e. seed index and lint index. Fibre and fibre quality traits included ginning percentage, upper half mean length, micronaire value, fibre strength and fibre uniformity ratio. Experiment also consisted sucking pest tolerance traits i.e. number of jassids per three leaves, number of thrips per three leaves, number of whiteflies per three leaves, number of aphids per three leaves, leaf trichome density and leaf thickness. These traits must be given weightage in selection for improvement of cotton in future breeding programmes.