ABSTRACT

GENETIC STUDIES ON GMS BASED INTER-SPECIFIC TETRAPLOID

COTTON HYBRIDS FOR YIELD AND FIBRE QUALITY TRAITS
(Gossypium hirsutum L. 𝐱 Gossypium barbadense L.)

By

SANMUGAPRIYA S.D.
(2021508029)

Degree : M.Sc. (Ag.) in Genetics and Plant Breeding

Chairperson : Dr. N. PREMALATHA,

Associate Professor (PBG), Department of Cotton,
CPBG, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Coimbatore – 641003

2023

The research was conducted during summer, 2023 in the Department of Cotton,
Centre for Plant Breeding and Genetics (CPBG), Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Coimbatore. The primary objective of this study was to discern optimal parental
candidates possessing enhanced general combining ability, as well as to identify hybrid
combinations exhibiting superior specific combining ability. This research study was
undertaken with the goal of improving both the yield and fiber quality of interspecific
cotton varieties. The experiment was conducted to investigate the extent of heterosis,
assessing combining abilities, examining variability and exploring associations among
diverse traits related to both yield and fiber quality.

A total of thirty five hybrid combinations were generated by crossing five specific
GMS based lines with seven distinct testers in a line x tester matting design. These hybrids
were then evaluated for eighteen different biometrical traits, viz., days to first flowering,
days to fifty percent flowering, days to first bursting, plant height, number of monopodia
per plant and number of sympodia per plant, number of bolls per plant, boll weight,
number of seeds per boll, seed cotton yield per plant, ginning outturn, lint index, seed
index, upper half mean length, uniformity ratio, bundle strength, fibre fineness, and
elongation percentage.
 Upon conducting an analysis of variance on both the parents and hybrids, it was
evident that there were highly significant differences among the experimental materials in
relation to all the yield and fiber quality traits. Furthermore, the analysis of variance
pertaining to combining ability revealed that there were highly significant differences
among the lines and testers for all eighteen biometrical traits that were investigated.
Additionally, it was observed that for all these traits, there was a prevalence of non-
additive gene action, specifically dominance, indicating the influence of genetic
interactions beyond simple additive effects.

Considering both the individual performance and the general combining ability
(GCA) effects of the parents, it was observed that the lines GMS 14 and GMS 17
demonstrated outstanding results, displaying higher means and notable gca effects for
traits such as days to fifty percent flowering, plant height, number of sympodia per plant,
number of bolls per plant, boll weight, ginning outturn, lint index, elongation percentage,
and fiber fineness. On the other hand, among the testers, CO 18 and Suvin exhibited
highly significant individual performances and gca effects, particularly for upper half
mean length, uniformity ratio, elongation percentage, and fiber fineness. Consequently, the
parents viz., GMS 14, GMS 17, CO 18 and Suvin were adjudged as the most promising
genotypes for the development of hybrids with exceptional yield and fiber quality.

Based on the individual performance of the hybrids, three specific combinations

viz., GMS 14 x CO 18, GMS 17 x CO 18, and GMS 27 x Suvin were identified with
significant individual performance for a majority of yield and fiber quality traits.
Furthermore, when assessing the specific combining ability (SCA) effects, it was observed
that the hybrid GMS 14 x CO 18 exhibited significant sca effects for eleven significant
traits, GMS 17 x CO 18 displayed highly significant sca effects for ten essential traits, and
GMS 27 x Suvin recorded highly significant sca effects for nine vital traits. Standard
heterosis estimates also pointed towards the potential of these three hybrids, namely
GMS 14 x CO 18, GMS 17 x CO 18, and GMS 27 x Suvin for further utilization in
heterosis breeding. However, the hybrid GMS 14 x Suvin and GMS 17 x Suvin, which
showed non-significant sca effects for traits like ginning outturn, uniformity index,
elongation percentage, and fiber fineness, were considered suitable for recombination
breeding.
 From the correlation studies for the eighteen biometric traits, it was found that seed
cotton yield per plant had a significant positive association with traits i.e. the number of
sympodia per plant, boll weight, ginning outturn, lint index, seed index, upper half mean
length, uniformity index, bundle strength, elongation percentage, and fibre fineness. Path
coefficient analysis further revealed that boll weight, ginning outturn, upper half mean
length, elongation percentage, and fibre fineness exhibited a very high positive direct
effect on seed cotton yield per plant.

Notably, high phenotypic and genetic coefficients of variation (PCV and GCV)
were observed for boll weight. Moreover, high heritability coupled with high genetic
advance was noticed for traits, the number of sympodia per plant, number of bolls per
plant, boll weight, lint index, seed cotton yield per plant, uniformity index, and elongation
percentage, indicating that additive gene action played a significant role in the expression
of these traits.