GENETIC STUDIES ON VARIATION FOR YIELD RELATED TRAITS IN UPLAND COTTON

Muhammad Rizwan and Tariq Manzoor Khan Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University Of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. E-mail:muhammadrizwan29@gmail.com
A 5 X 5 full diallel cross experiment was conducted involving five cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) varieties namely SLH-41, F-281, COKER-3113, LA85-52-1 and H-88-8-J.69-j.70 to evaluate genetic effects for various plant traits. The characters under consideration were plant height, number of bolls per plant, boll weight, number of monopodial branches and number of sympodial branches. All the genotypes were found to significantly different from each other for the above mentioned traits. Joint regression analysis proved the validity of the data of all characters for additive-dominance model. Plant height, number of bolls per plant, boll weight and number of monopodial branches were governed by over dominance type of gene action while the inheritance of number of sympodial braches was of additive type with partial dominance. Over dominance suggested heterosis breeding as an appropriate tool for improvement of these traits. Key Words: Diallel analysis; Genetic studies; Yield traits; upland cotton; Gossypium hirsutum L. INTRODUCTION Cotton occupies a unique position in Pakistans agrarian economy. Efforts on various aspects of the crop have been under way to increase its overall production of the country. Pakistan is an agricultural country and cotton crop is the backbone for earning foreign exchange of the country.The economy of Pakistan mainly depends upon cotton production, exportable surplus of cotton fiber and fiber made products. Share of cotton and cotton manufactures is about 69% of the total foreign exchange annually. It accounts for 7.5 %of the value added in agriculture and about 1.6% to GDP. It accounts about 78% of domestic oil production. The crop not only meets the need of the fiber of the local industry but also provides edible oil for cooking purpose and low grade oil for the soap manufacturing industries. Residual seed cake is a valuable protein concentrate that is used for livestock feed. (Anonymous 2008).

The most important factor in the process of crop production has always been a good variety in any crop. Cotton breeders managed to produce high yielding varieties through various genetic manipulations and breeding approaches and consequently a significant progress was achieved in this connection. As the improvement in yield and quality in agricultural crops is a continuous process, therefore, the breeders are busy all the time in adopting new techniques and approaches for improving the production of the crop. To achieve desirable results, parents to utilized in any breeding program, must be genetically diverse and physiologically efficient. Keeping this in view, an experiment was undertaken in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad to study the gene action in F1 hybrids to select suitable parents for the evaluation of high yielding hybrids, well adaptive to the prevailing climatic conditions and having better quality. The current research work was launched to analyze some important cotton cultivars to ascertain the relative performance regarding gene control for yield and its components. The diallel analysis technique devised by Hayman (1954) and Jinks (1954) which was reviewed and studied by Mather and Jinks (1982) is a useful tool to obtain precise information about the type of gene action involved for the expression of various yield characters. Diallel analysis provides a systematic approach for the detection of appropriate parents and crosses superior in terms of the investigated traits. The present research work was launched to obtain the genetic information for some economic cotton traits by using diallel technique, following Hayman (1954) and Jinks (1954). MATERIALS AND METHODS The present experiment was carried out at experimental area of the department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad during the years 2007-08. The experimental material consisted of five parental genotypes namely SLH-41, F-281, COKER-3113, LA-85-52-1 and H-88-8-J.69-j.70 representing a range of yield and fibre quality traits, was sown in earthen pots placed in greenhouse during November 2007. During germination and growth environmental conditions were possibly controlled and required agronomic practices were followed. In glass-house, temperature was

maintained at 35-40c0 throughout the period. At flowering, the parental lines were crossed in a complete diallel fashion (5 5) to generate 20 F1 crosses (direct and indirect) along with 5 selfs. At maturity, selfed and crossed bolls were picked and seed cotton was ginned with single roller ginning machine. The F0 seed from all crosses along with their parents was sown in the field during June-2008 in RCBD with three replications. In a replication 25 entries were planted each in a single row having 10 plants with a distance of 30cm and 75cm within and between rows respectively. All required agronomic practices and crop protection measures were carried out from sowing to harvesting of the crop. At maturity, the data were recorded for plant height, number of bolls per plant, boll weight, number of monopodial branches and number of sympodial branches on five gaurded plants from each entry, both in field as well as laboratory on individual plant basis. The data collected was subjected to standard techniques of analysis of variance (Steel et al, 1997) to establish the level of genotypic differences for the plant traits under study. The characters showing significant genotypic differences were further analyzed genetically following additive-dominance model of genetic analysis developed by Hayman (1954) and Jinks (1954). RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS The results of different characteristics from progeny plants are presented as under: 1-Plant Height: Analysis of variance for plant height (Appendix-1) showed highly significant differences among the genotypes evaluated. Results of joint regression analysis (Table-1) indicated that data were fit for additive-dominance model. A perusal of (Fig-1) indicated that regression line intercepted the Wr-axis is fairly above the origin revealing that additive type of gene action with partial dominance was controlling this character. The regression line did not deviate significantly from a unit slope thereby suggesting the absence of non allelic interaction. The results seemed to be compatible with those of Murtaza et al. (1995) and Bertini et al. (2001), Khan et al. (1995) and Shakeel et al. (2001). While some other scientists like Pavasia et al. (1999) and Khan et al. (2003) reported over dominance type of gene action and Kumeresan et al. (1999) reported both additive and non additive type of gene action for this trait.

The distribution of array points on regression line showed that the variety COKER-3113 possessed maximum dominant genes being closest to the origin whereas the variety LA-85-52-1 had maximum recessive genes being farthest from the point of origin (Fig-1). Previous studies showed that less plant height contributes directly to yield. So, from the above results we reveal that breeder can improve plant height through simple selection procedures using the varieties COKER-3113 and LA-85-52-1. 2. Number of bolls per plant: Results of joint regression analysis indicated that data were quite fit for additive-dominance model. The Fig-2 showed that regression line intercepted the Wr- axis below the origin indicating over dominance gene action. As the regression line is of unit slope, it confirmed the absence of epistasis. Over dominance which is in accordance with Khan et al. (1995), Murtaza et al. (1995), Amin et al. (1997), Ahmad et al. (2001), Ahmad et al (2005), Bertini et al. (2001), and Shakeel et al. (2001) whereas Carvalho et al. (1995), Saeed et al (1996), Yingxin and Xiangming (1998), Goudar et al. (1996) and Subhan et al. (2001) reported additive type of gene action also Kumeresan et al. (1999) and Rauf et al. (2006) reported both additive and non additive type of gene action for this trait. Sambamurthy and Ranganadhacharyulu (1999), Murtaza.(2005), Nadeem and Azhar (2006) reported both additive and dominance gene action. The array points distribution on regression line indicated that the variety H-88-8J.69-J.70 possessed maximum dominant genes being closest to the origin whereas the variety COKER-3113 had maximum recessive genes being farthest from the point of origin (Fig-2). As more number of bolls per plant is desirable character contributing yield. So, from above findings it is revealed that this character may be considered in a breeding programme for developing hybrid cotton having more number of bolls per plant. 3. Boll weight: Results of joint regression analysis (Table-1) indicated that data were quite fit for additive-dominance model. The Fig-2 showed that regression line intercepted the Wr- axis below the origin indicating over dominance gene action. As the regression line is of unit slope, it confirmed the absence of epistasis. Over dominance which is in accordance with Khan et al. (1995), Murtaza et al. (1995), Amin et al. (1997), Ahmad et al. (2001), Ahmad et al (2005), Bertini et al. (2001), and Shakeel et al. (2001) whereas Carvalho et al. (1995), Saeed et al (1996),

Yingxin and Xiangming (1998), Goudar et al. (1996) and Subhan et al. (2001) reported additive type of gene action also Kumeresan et al. (1999) and Rauf et al. (2006) reported both additive and non additive type of gene action for this trait. Sambamurthy and Ranganadhacharyulu (1999), Murtaza.(2005), Nadeem and Azhar (2006) reported both additive and dominance gene action. The array points distribution on regression line indicated that the variety H-88-8J.69-J.70 possessed maximum dominant genes being closest to the origin whereas the variety COKER-3113 had maximum recessive genes being farthest from the point of origin (Fig-2). As more number of bolls per plant is desirable character contributing yield. So, from above findings it is revealed that this character may be considered in a breeding programme for developing hybrid cotton having more number of bolls per plant. 4. Number of sympodial branches: Results of joint regression analysis (Table-1) indicated that data were fit for additive-dominance model. A perusal of (Fig-4) indicated that regression line intercepted the Wr-axis is fairly above the origin revealing that additive gene action with partial dominance was involved in the inheritance of this character. The regression line did not deviate significantly from a unit slope thereby suggesting the absence of non allelic interaction.. The results seemed to be compatible with those of Amin et al. (1997), Ajmal et al. (1998), Malek and Shamsuddin (1998), Paxasia et al. (1998), Ali et al. (2000), Banumathy and Patil (2000), Khan et al. (2003), Anisa et al. (2004), Neelima et al. (2004), Nimbalkar et al. (2004), Pavasia et al. (1998) and Khan et al. (2003), While differed from Murtaza et al. (1995) and Bertini et al. (2001) while Khan et al. (1995) and Shakeel et al. (2001) reported additive type of gene action also Ahmad et al. (2003) and Rauf et al (2005) indicated both additive and non additive genetic variation. The distribution of array points on regression line showed that the variety H-88-8J.69-j.70 possessed maximum dominant genes being closest to the origin whereas the variety COKER-3113 had maximum recessive genes being farthest from the point of origin (Fig-4). Breeder can improve this character through simple selection procedures

Table I: F-ratio for various traits in 20 crosses and 5 selfs

Plant SOV d.f. height 0.39 NS Replication 2 No. of bolls per plant 0.12NS Boll weight 0.32NS Number of sympodial branches 1.67NS

Genotypes Error Total

24 48 74

7.99**

483.27**

25.63**

19.41**

NS= Non Significant, *= Significant, **=Highly significant Table 2: Results of Joint Regression Analysis Sr. No. 1 Character Plant height b 0.97 0.11 0.92 0. 13 0.89 0.92 1.11 0. 16 Remarks b value deviated significantly from zero but not from unity. b value differed significantly from zero but not from unity. b value differed significantly from zero but not from unity b value differed significantly from zero but not from unity. Conclusions The data were adequate for simple additivedominance model. The data were fit for additive-dominance model The data were fit for additive-dominance model The data were adequate for genetic analysis.

Number of bolls per plant Boll weight

No.of sympodial branches

Table: 3 Mean performance of Parents and hybrids for some characters of upland cotton
Parents and crosses Plant height No.of bolls per plant Boll weight No.of sympodial branches ________________________________________________________________________________________________ SLH-41 F-281 COKER-3113 LA-85-52-1 H-88-8-J.69-j.70 SLH-41 SLH-41 SLH-41 SLH-41 F-281 F-281 F-281 COKER-3113 COKER-3113 LA-85-52-1 138.60 136.81 145.85 128.95 141.16 137.89 142.33 136.86 138.07 140.24 135.20 138.55 142.27 144.84 139.97 16.25 19.13 16.84 17.69 21.28 23.75 20.62 13.85 22.26 27.04 24.14 27.43 20.79 26.49 19.59 2.45 2.71 2.66 3.36 2.80 2.68 2.47 3.0 2.78 2.74 3.26 2.87 3.28 2.88 3.28 21.43 24.23 15.53 16.83 20.0 22.58 20.68 18.45 20.53 20.30 21.58 20.82 16.12 20.57 19.97

F-281 COKER-3113 LA-85-52-1 H-88-8-J.69-j.70 COKER-3113 LA-85-52-1 H-88-8-J.69-j.70 LA-85-52-1 H-88-8-J.69-j.70 H-88-8-J.69-j.70

SLH-41 F-281 COKER-3113 LA-85-52-1 H-88-8-J.69-J.70 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Vr Wr H-88-8-J.69-J.70
LA-85-52-1

COKER-3113 F-281
SLH-41
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 Vr

Wr

Fig- 1 Plant Height

Fig- 3 Boll weight

H-88-8-J.69-J.70 LA-85-52-1 COKER-3113 F-281 SLH-41 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 0 5 10 15 20 Vr Wr H-88-8-J.69-J.70 LA-85-52-1 COKER-3113 F-281 SLH-41 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Vr Wr

Fig- 2 No of bolls per plant

Fig- 4 No. of sympodial branches

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