Estimation of Combining Ability Influence on F1 Generation for Various Quantitative and Qualitative Traits in BT and Non-BT Cotton Gossypium hirsutum L.

Abstract

General and specific combining ability is one of the important plant breeding tools used for best selection of F1 group based on the growth and yield contributing factors. This experiment was carried out during 2014 under agro-ecological condition of Tandojam, Sindh Pakistan. In this study three lines of Bt-008, IR-1525 and neelam-131 as female parents and three testers such as NIA Sadori, NIA Ufaq and NIA Perkh as male parents were investigated based on randomized complete block design which were replicated thrice. In F1 generation, the mean squares for combining ability for target characteristics displayed highly significant GCA effects in lines for all traits except lint index. But in case of testers, the GCA effects were significant for sympodial branches plant-1, seed index and seedcotton yield plant-1 and highly significant only for monopodial branches plant-1, GOT%, staple length. While, mean squares values for the interaction of line x tester revealed highly significant SCA effects for plant height, monopodial branches plant-1, boll weight and GOT%. The two parents Neelam-131 and NIA Ufaq manifested higher general combining ability effects and were good general combiners for yield and yield components and can make a potential material for varietal seed development. For yield contributing characters, crosses IR-1525 x NIA Ufaq and IR-1525 x Perkh showed significant SCA effects among the rest of crosses. Consequently, it is advised that those crosses to be selected having high SCA with better GCA for refining a specific trait.