Performance of Selected Irradiated Cotton Varieties During M2 Generation

Dry seeds of four cotton varieties were irradiated with 0, 10, 15, 20 and 25 kR doses of gamma irradiation from Co source of gamma irradiation in 2012 at Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA), 60 Tarnab, Peshawar, Pakistan. Three highly potential cotton varieties i.e. Gomal-93, Bt-131 and Bt-CIM-602 with irradiation of 15, 20 and 25 kR, respectively selected for the second year (May, 2013) cultivation at Experimental Fields of Department of Botany, University of Science & Technology, Bannu, Khyber Pakhtun Khwa, Pakistan. Number of branches plant , number of leaves plant , number of flowers plant , number of bolls plant , 1 1 1 1 number of seeds plant and seed cotton weight plant showed significant differences. The tallest plant 1 1 (15.6 cm), more branches plant (37.8), higher number of leaves plant , (113.8), maximum number of flowers 1 1 plant (36.7), number of bolls plant (31.8), heavier seed weight (8.7g) were observed with Gomal-93. While, 1 1 Bt-131 showed long internodal length (1.44cm), medium statured plants (14.1 cm), medium number of branches plant (24.5), number of flowers plant (17.76) and highest seed cotton weight plant (15.33 g). Bt-CIM-602 1 1 1 produced the shortest plants (10.4 cm), minimum branches plant (23.8), flowers plant (16.4) and highest 1 1 number of seeds plant (20.33). It is concluded that cotton variety Bt-131 is recommended for cultivation in 1 Bannu and the surrounding area.