Development of versatile hybrids has been one of the leading objectives of Plant breeders. Difficulties have been observed in
the development of F1 Cotton hybrids thereby triggering the possible utilization of F2 hybrids for commercial cultivation. An
experiment was conducted to determine the heterotic behavior of F1 and F2 hybrids. Twelve lines were crossed with four
testers for development of 48 hybrids followed by selfing for the generation of F2 hybrids. Z33 × IUB09 and CIM473 ×
IUB08 were outstanding F1 hybrids while Z33 × IUB09 and CRSM2007 × IUB09 were superior hybrid combinations in F2. Both F1 and F2 hybrids performed extraordinarily well for all of the traits studied in present experiment and incurred mild
inbreeding depression in F2 population. In addition to the F1 and F2 population analysis, selected elite hybrids performed
significantly higher than three commercial varieties and among them Z33× IUB09 was top yielder followed by CRSM2007 ×
IUB09 and CIM496 × IUB09. Superior hybrids manifested the predominant influence of non-additive gene action other than
dominance coupled with best hormonal combinations. It is inferred that Z33 × IUB09 performed well not only in F1 and F2 populations but in field comparison as well. Such hybrids must be extracted by breeding efforts and could be launched for
commercial cultivation.
