Irradiation effect on F2 segregation for earliness, productiveness and fibre length in Gossypium hirsutum x G. barbadense hybridization

Two hybrid combinations between cv. Chirpan-433 (of the species G. hirsutum) and C-6030 and 5904-I (of the species G. barbadense) were studied. F0 seeds were irradiated by 30 krad. Non-irradiated seeds were used as control. It was found that hybrid irradiation affected segregation of the characters in a different way. It retarded ripening, the negative effect being higher in the combination Chirpan-433x5904-N. In respect to productiveness and fibre lenght hybrid irradiation led to positive changes in the form-producing process. Hibrids of the combination Chirpan-433X5904-I responded more favourably to irradiation in respect to these two characters. Hybrid irradiation altered the type of segregation and created suplementary pool of forms with desired characters, increasing the possibilities of interspecific hybridization to combine the valuable economic characters of both species