Performance of Bt-cotton hybrids for yield and fiber quality in transitional tract of Karnataka, India

Evaluation of Bt. cotton at Dharwad (Karnataka) indicated that Bt-cotton genotypes were far superior than non Bt genotypes and local check DHH-11. They have produced 41 to 66 per cent higher yield than DHH-11 hybrid. Among the three Rasi Bt cotton hybrids, RCH-2 Bt cotton was the top yielder and it gave 5–17 per cent higher yield than other Bt-genotypes. Bt-hybrid RCH-144 Bt recorded 71 per cent increase in boll-number over DHH-11. However, there was no significant difference for number of seeds per boll, number of monopodia, number of sympodia, plant height and per cent bollworm incidence among Bt, non Bt and commercial check and the higher yield was attributed due to more number of bolls per plant.