Genetic studies of different agronomic, quality and yield contributing traits in Gossypium hirsutum L.

An experiment of 4 × 4 diallel was carried out to study the gene action of different yield and yield contributing traits of four advanced cotton cultivars using Mather and Jinks approach. Significant variation was present for all the characters (P< 0.01). The data on recorded parameters revealed that most of the traits were fully or partially fit for genetic interpretation. Additive gene action (D) was significant and pre-dominant for all the characters while seeds per locule showed dominance effect of H1& H2, and it was confirmed by the value of degree of dominance (H1/D 0.5). The value of H2/4H1 and h2 (measures the direction of dominance) demonstrated asymmetrical division of dominant genes for all traits, except ginning out turn (G.O.T) percentage and fiber length, in parental material. All the studied traits showed high value of narrow sense heritability (h2NS), however seeds per locule possessed low heritability. The genetic analysis revealed that all the characters could be improved by progeny and pedigree selection, whereas hybrid dynamism could be exploited in the trait like seeds per locule.