Screening of American Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and Desi Cotton (G. arboreum) for Fibre Quality Traits, Seed Cotton Yield and Important Yield Components

In G. hirsutum 1199 geographically and phenotypically diverse lines and in G. arboreum for Jines maintained at CICR, Regional Station Sirsa were evaluated for fibre quality traits for three years from 2001–02 to 2003–04. In G. hirsutum, 10 superior accession with long fibre (29.0 mm and above) were identified. Thc fibre fineness in thcse accession ranged between 3.5 to 4.6 micronaire. Except accession DP 45 A(y) and AC 130 in which the fibre finencss was 3.5 and 3.7 micronaire respectively, the fibre fineness in remaining accessions was as per accepted fibre quality norms. Among these 10 lines, five accessions namely SCC 113, NA 1375, DP45A (y), Cotton 5 and AC-130 showed high fibre strength ranging from 25.1 g/tex to 27.1 g/tex Accessions SCC 113, Cotton 5 and Cotton 17 showed good uniformity (more than 50%). Some accessions like MC 86, JKCL 702 and Cotton 5 Showed good ginning outturn (more than 34.7%). In G. arboreum also the superior ten accession for fibre length more than 25.4 mm were identified. The fibre fineness in these cultivars ranged from 4.1 to 6.0 micronaire and was below 5.0 micronaire in accessions AC 3196, DCB 5, AKA 60-2, AC 3535, 1789, CISA 12 and DCB II. Accessions AC 3722 and AKA 60-2 showed good fibre strength (above 22 g/tex) and Accessions DCB II and DCB 5 showed good ginning outturn (35 percent or above). Accession SCC 113 and Cotton 5 of G. Hirsutum and DCB II and AC 3196 of G. arboreum exhibited a combination of superior fibre quality traits and higher yield.