Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ESTIMATION OF COMBINING ABILITY AND HETEROSIS ON SEED COTTON YIELD AND ITS ATTRIBUTING TRAITS IN AMERICAN COTTON GOSSYPIUM HIRSUTUM L. GENOTYPES

K.V. Siva Reddy, Rani Chapara, M. Sudha Rani, B. Sree Lakshmi3 and J. Pranaya

Abstract

An experiment was executed during Kharif 2021 at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Lam, Guntur inrandomized block design (RBD) in two replications for estimation of combining ability of the parents andgene effects and also the extent of heterosis using line × tester fashion design. Statistical data were collectedon the biometrical observations viz., days to 50% flowering, plant height (cm), number of monopodia/plant, number of sympodia/plant, number of bolls per plant, boll weight (g), seed index (g), lint index (g),Ginning Out Turn (GOT %), seed cotton yield (kg/ha) and lint yield (kg/ha). The lines GISV298 and SCS1207;the testers, Lam GPC 501 and Lam GPC 355 exhibited positive General Combining Ability (GCA) effects forthe traits Ginning Out Turn (GOT%), Seed Cotton Yield (SCY) and Lint Yield (LY) signifying that thesewere good general combiners. The cross combinations viz., TCH1837/GP117, GISV298/GP274, and SCS1207/ GP117 expressed significant specific combining ability (SCA) effects for Seed Cotton Yield (SCY) and LintYield (LY). The cross combination, SCS1207/ Lam GPC 355 was identified as the best hybrid combinationwith high GCA and SCA for important traits like GOT, seed cotton yield, and lint yield coupled withsignificant positive heterosis which can be further tested in multi-location testing at the station and allIndia level.