Heterosis and Inbreeding Depression for economic traits in desi cotton

Seven parents in five cross combinations were studied for heterosis in F1 and inbreeding depression in F2 populations for number of bolls per plant, boll weight, halo length, ginning outturn and seed cotton yield per plant. In F1 hybrids, maximum heterosis was observed for seed cotton yield per plant followed by bolls per plant. Majority of the F2 population displayed inbreeding depression and it was high for seed cotton yield per plant followed by bolls per plant. Inbreeding depression was higher in Blach-1 x DLSA-17 cross followed by the hybrid DD-8NLE x MDL 2582 and in remaining hybrids it was lower. In F1 generation, heterosis over better parent ranged from 172.82 to 127.94 % for seed cotton yield per plant. The inbreeding depression was lower when RDC 88 and 9749 was used as male parents in combination with MDL 2582 and MDL 2601 as male parents.