Multiple pest tolerant Gossypium hirsutum 1. strains were crossed with four bollworm susceptible strains. Nine out of 13 hybrids gave 79–149% higher yields of seed cotton over commercial check, and 1.27–153.8% over better parent (BP). The highest yielding hybrid produced 91.10 g seed cotton per plant as compared to 38.4 g of var. 5harada. 05–28 was the male parent in five high yielding hybrids. Numberof sympodia, boll number per plant and BRI(y) are predominantly controlled by dominant and/or epistatic gene action. Boll weight is mainly additive with tlte F1 values nearly same as mid parental values. Trial strain MPR JK 345·1·2 produced the highest yield (71.7 g/plant> with minimum plant protection. Five hybrids were identified for testing under large scale, with minimum plant protection.
Heterosis, intra-hirsutum hybrids, multiple pest tolerance
