Weighted average absolute scores of BLUPs (WAASB) based selection of stable Asiatic cotton genotypes for the salt affected Vertisols of India

Cotton is a major cash crop classified as moderately tolerant to salt stress (threshold ECe = 7.7 dS m-1). In the present study, a set of 21 homozygous advanced breeding lines of cotton (Gossypium herbaceum L.), including one salt tolerant variety G Cot 23 was evaluated over three years to identify stable high yielding genotypes under salt stress. Weighted Average Absolute Scores of BLUPs (WAASB) stability index, which is based on single value decomposition of BLUP, was employed for this purpose. Among the 21 genotypes, CSC-025 and CSC-057 showed the highest boll weight (59.67 and 57.33 g/20 boll), seed cotton yield (1818 and 1570 Kg ha-1) and leaf K/Na ratio (9.6 and 5.6) over the check variety G Cot 23. Considering both WAASB stability index and mean trait values, CSC-025, CSC-057 and G Cot 23 were found promising for all traits and can be considered for deployment in salt-affected Vertisols of India.