Genetic Analysis for Drought Tolerance of Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.) for Yield Related Components

Abstract

Germplasm of Cotton plant was analysed to examine its ability for tolerance of water stress in future varieties. Four tolerant (VH-142, CIM-482, NIAB-78 and  BH-121) and for  four susceptible ( CIM-446, FH-900, FH-901 and FH-1000 )lines were recognized from 50 accessions  on the basis of their  root length at seedling stage. Full  diallel crosses were made between  selected eight  genotypes were  genetically examined related to  yield traits following Hayman and Jinks(1954).Both additive and non-additive variances  were observed in the inheritance  foe all  traits under normal and water  stress condition. Major fraction for genetic variance was  additive  which  further was supported by high value of narrow sense heritability for characters. .The graph of Variance vs covariance represents that  gene action  is of additive type with partial dominance and there is no  epitasis   interaction for  the inheritance of theses traits. The results of present study suggested that improvement can be brought for drought tolerance in  cotton genotypes through crosses between tolerant genotypes with the help of  conventional breeding approach  in  segregating generations.