THE SELECTION IN COTTON BY HONEYCOMB 1-YIELD AND ITS COMPONENTS

Abstract

To determine the best distance for selection by honeycomb and comparision of selected plants under two plant densities according to seed cotton yield and its components to reach highest yield. Field trails were undertaken on the farm of Dept. of Field Crops, College of Agriculture, University of Baghdad during 2009-2010. Cocker130walt and Lashata cultivars were grown. Three distances (130, 105 and 80cm) among plants were applied in honeycomb design. The produced seeds from selection by honeycomb were planted to evaluate the genotypes to compare with unselected cultivars, according to a factorial experiment with RCBD under 53 and 89 thousand plant/ha. The results showed that selected Lashata in distance 130x113cm gave higher no. of open boll/plant (51 bolls). While Cocker310walt gave higher boll weight (4.38g) . Both selected genotypes gave higher gining % (37.67 and 34.34 %, respectively), fiber yield (34.33 and 38.78 g) and seed cotton yield (109.34 and 112.34 g). Highly heritability narrow sense was for seed cotton yield /plant that associated with higher genetic gain (46.30% and 19.87%, respectively). The selected Cocker310walt gave highly homeostaty and crop yield potential (CYP) . It can be concluded that using of selection was effective for improving selected plants according on yield and its components. We recommend to use honeycomb in breeding programs to improve seed cotton yield and testing it for distance upper than 130cm between plants, particularly if there was more than one cycle of selection.