Combining Ability and Gene Action for Seed Cotton Yield and Fibre Quality in Cotton (G. hirsutum L.)

The experimental material consisting of ten parents, their 45 hybrids (created by using diallel design excluding reciprocal) and two checks were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications at Surat, Bharuch, Achhalia and Hansot of Navsari Agricultural University during 2008–09. Combining ability analysis over environments revealed importance of additive components for all the characters studied based on genetic variance ratio. Parents GSHV 112, G. Cot.10, GSHV 97/59 and G 67 were found as good general combiner for seed cotton yield and yield contributing characters and LRA 5166 and G 67 were good general combiner for important fibre quality characters. The hybrids, G. Cot.10 x GBHV 139 (good x poor), and GSHV 3047 x G 67 (average x good) having the maximum sca effects for seed cotton yield also registered significant and desirable sca effects for most of the yield attributing characters.