Abstract:
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)
is known as important commodity globally.
The experiment was conducted at Cotton
Research Station, Multan, Punjab-Pakistan,
to evaluate resistance of nine innovative
cotton cultivars against insect pest
complex were used along with their
fiber traits, economic yield and virus
incidence. Population of jassid, whitefly
and thrips was recorded by using leaf
turn method, bollworms by counting whole
fruiting parts (buds, flowers and bolls), virus
by counting healthy and virus effected
plants per plot, yield of seed cotton was
determined by hand harvesting method,
while qualitative fiber properties were
measured through HVI spectrum-1 (high
volume instrumentation) method. Cotton
genotype NIAB-Bt-2 is resistant to jassid,
whitefly and thrips with maximum GOT,
staple length. In case of bollworms, all
genotypes are resistant to spotted and
american bollworm, except FH-142 and
MNH-988. No genotype is resistant to pink
bollworm in leftover bolls. Best yield
performance was recorded on FH-142
(2041.54 kg/ha) with minimum CLCuV
incidence. Further our research should
recognize the share of one pest species on
the yield and fiber quality of cotton by
managing other pest species to define better
management strategies. Our studies
concluded that the genotype NIAB-Bt-2 has
less insect attack i.e., sucking pest as well as
bollworms, virus and other fiber
characteristics like GOT, staple length as
compared with other cotton genotypes
should be recommended for general
cultivation and being a resistant germplasm
it should be included in breeding program
for the development of new cotton strains.
