Genetic investigation on compact cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) using its segregating population (F2)

In all over the World during last three decades, cotton breeders have been revolving to evolve high yielding compact genotypes to have uniform harvesting of bolls. Based on the data analysed using 54 F1hybrids synthesized using 6 female and 9 male parents, nine better yielding compact hybrids were selected and used for this study. These were categorized into three distinct groups based on single plant yield viz., low (Group I), medium (Group II) and high (Group III). Mean comparison between the overall yield of F1 and F2 population derived from each of this group was found to be narrowing down from F1 to F2, even though significant number of high yielders were presented in F2 population. The cross combinations viz., 343-1-1 x TCH1716 (Group I), 343-1-1 x RB602 &TCH1926 x RAH1070 (Group II) and TCH1819 x RB602 (Group III) were identified as elites as they had superior individual mean yield. Overall performance of Group-I in F2 generation was observed to be better than its F1 generation. This result was not observed in other two groups inferring that high yielding cross (Group III) rarely shows progress in yield as generation advances and low yielding crosses shouldn't bealways neglected considering its early generation performance. Continuing selection in such crosses (Group I) to further generations may reveal its full genetic potential.