Abstract
Eight Elite advanced Non Bt(NBt) and six local Bt varieties planted at Faisalabad, Multan and Khanewal were evaluated for their response to cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV) disease. SLH-284, BH-167 and GS-1, NBt cotton varieties showed resistance with 5%, 10% and 15% disease incidence respectively, whereas MG-6 and ARS-802 were tolerant with 20% and 25% disease infection. NBt, CRSM-38 and NIAB-777 and Bt hybrid FH-113 had disease range between 40% to 45%. Rest of the test entries were highly susceptible. Twenty four exotic Bt cotton hybrids of Monsanto were noticed with serious CLCuV disease infection ranging between 90-100% at Sahiwal, Khanewal and Vehari and 88% to 100% at Bahawalpur. The yield performance of exotic Bt hybrids was quite low showing stunting of plants with minimum numbers of bolls. Among all these hybrids CM-496 had maximum number of big bolls. It was obvious that local cotton varieties and Bt hybrid had highly significant edge over exotic hybrids with respect to intensity of disease and yield performance.
