Variability for Leaf Hairiness Pattern in Gossypium L. Species

Different species in the genus Gossypium L. were found to have glabrous to densely hairy leaves with variation in type of hairs. These leaf hairs reported to correlated with jassid resistance in cotton. Variation in the morphology of leaf hair also contributes to the degree of resistance. In this context, sections from fully grown leaves were stained and observed under microscope. Variability of leaf hairiness pattern of wild species viz., G. anomalum, G. davidsonii, G. mustelinum, G. raimondii, G. thurberi and G. barbasonum was compared with cultivated G. arboreum var, ‘Y-1’, G. herbaceum var. GBHV-189 and G. hirsutum var. JLH-168. Leaves of G. raimondii had longest hair length on leaf lamina as well as on midrib also it had highest number of hairs per unit area and higher cross sectional midrib length and width. The findings indicated that G. raimondii is the most useful species in respect of all desirable hair attributes studied followed by G. anomalum and G. barbasonum.