Genetics of yield and yield components over locations in desi cotton (Gossypium arboreum)

A line X tester mating set was obtained by crossing 20 diverse genotypes (female) with 3 well adapted genotypes (male) of Asiatic cotton. Sixty Fts alongwith 23 parents were evaluated over three locations for 10 quantitative characters. The gca and sca variances showed the predominant role of additive type of gene action in the inheritance of plant height, bolls, seed-cotton yield, seed yield, lint yield and ginning (%), whereas both additive and nonadditive components of genetic variance were important in the inheritance of halo length. However, nonadditive genetic effects were predominant in the inheritance of days to flower initiation, seed and lint indices. The best general combiners for most of the characters were SD-5, RG-10, RG-8 and K7. No association between per se performance and sea effect was observed. The parent and hybrids did not show consistent performance over locations for plant height, bolls, seed-cotton yield, seed yield and lint yield.