ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC VARIABILITY AND STABILITY FOR SOME COTTON GENOTYPES

Abstract: Variance component, genotypic and phenotypic stability were studied for twenty four genotypes; nineteen of them were new genotypes, one promising cross and four cultivars as check varieties at four diverse locations of Delta cotton zone, i.e. Kafr El- Shiekh, El-Behera, El-Dakahallia and Domiat. Five traits were studied, i.e. 50 bolls weight, seed and lint cotton yield, lint percentage and earliness index. The studied traits showed highly significant mean squares for environments, genotypes and genotype X environment interaction for all traits. The results indicated the presence of substantial amount of genetic variance for lint percentage and earliness index. The heritability values were high for lint percentage, seed and lint cotton yield and earliness index, while boll weight exhibited moderate value of heritability. Genetic coefficient of variability was low for 50 bolls weight, seed cotton yield and lint percentage. While it was of moderate value for lint yield and earliness index. The results of phenotypic stability showed that F5 1138 /2012 and F6 1165 /2012 were stable for all studied traits, except for lint percentage. The genotypic stability analysis indicated that genotypes varied for the estimate (?), while the estimate (?i) did not differ from ?i =0 which may suggest that the relatively unpredictable components of (G X E) interaction variance may be more important than the other components. The best strains were F5 1147 /2012 and F8 1292 /2012 which were stable for 50 bolls weight, seed cotton yield and earliness index. The results showed that the promising cross had the highest yield potentiality and stability across different locations. While, the variety G88 and the genotype F6 1174/2012 exhibited genetic stability for all studied traits, except for earliness index. It is recommended that the two crosses G92 x Pima S1 and G 93 x [G 76 x (G 45 x S.A)] could be selected for further testing to develop promising crosses in the breeding programs.
Publication year 2015
Pages 1783 – 1801
Organization Name
Author(s) from ARC
Publication Type Journal