Association of Seed Cotton Yield With its Components and Fibre Quality Traits in Interspecific Hybrids of Cotton (Gossypium spp)

Association studies undertaken with parents, F1’s of ten (lines) × five (testers) and one check hybrid (TCHB 213) in interspecific (G. hirsutum x G. barbadense) crosses of cotton revealed that number of bolls per plant, boll weight, number of seeds per boll, lint index, seed index and uniformity ratio registered significant positive correlation with seed cotton yield per plant at genotypic level indicating the possibility of simultaneous improvement of these traits. The direct and indirect effect of path analysis revealed that the number of bolls per plant, boll weight, and seed index are the major yield contributing traits in inter specific crosses and hence, should be considered for improving yield under wide hybridization in cotton. The correlation and path co-efficient analysis revealed that simultaneous selection based on number of bolls per plant, boll weight, and seed index would be fruitful for exploiting heterosis to the fullest extent in interspecific hybrids of cotton.