Heterosis studies for fibre quality of upland cotton in line x tester design

Abstract

Cotton fibre length, strength and fineness properties have vital influence textile industry. The developing high fibre length and strength cultivars or hybrids are essential to current modernized spinning mills. Therefore, the present study was carried out to assess the expression of per se performance and heterotic effect for fibre quality traits from 28 hybrids involving four adapted varieties as lines and the seven accessions as testers in Line x Tester analysis. Significant range of variability was observed all the traits in parents and their 28 hybrids. Fibre length in parents and their hybrids ranged from 23 to 32.9 mm and 25.40 to 33.3 mm, respectively. The hybrid MCU 12 x SOCC 17 and SVPR 2 x TCH 1641 for fibre elongation exhibited significant positive heterotic effects. Eleven hybrids showed significant negative heterotic effects for fibre fineness and hybrid MCU 5 × SOCC 17 displayed greater negative heterosis. Mean performance of bundle strength in parents and hybrids was 20.6 and 21.9 (g/tex), respectively. The hybrids MCU 12 x TCH 1644 and SVPR 2 x TCH 1646 for 2.5% span length, MCU 5 x SOCC 17 and Surabhi x F 776 for bundle strength exhibited significant positive heterotic effect, per se performance and high sca effects and can be utilized for direct selection.