Evaluation of Morphological Characteristics of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) New Genotypes in Golestan Province

In order to evaluate of distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS) of morphological traits, three new genotypes of cotton (GT40, TBL60 and SKT134) were tested using a complete randomized blocks design with 4 replications. In general, 39 quantitative and qualitative morphological characteristics were measured. Results showed quantitative morphological characteristics including number of stem nodes to the lowest fruiting branch (at flowering stage), fruiting branch length, fruiting branch nodes number, ginning outturn, fiber length, elongation and fineness, plant height and boll petiole length of genotypes significantly were distinct. Also genotypes qualitative morphological characteristics: pollen color, position of stigma relative to anthers, bract size (at green maturity), type of flowering, intensity of leaf green color (at flowering stage), Leaf size and pubescence of lower side, stem pubescence in upper part, boll opening time (when 50% of the plants have at least one boll opened) and degree of opening (at full maturity) significantly were distinct. Generally, achieved results showed, GT40 genotype based on yellow pollen color, upper position of stigma relative to anthers, small leaf size, medium stem pubescence in upper part, short plant height (at green maturity) and early boll time of opening (when 50% of the plants have at least one boll opened) was distinct from TBL60 and SKT134 genotypes. Also TBL60 genotype due to non-clustered type of flowering, medium leaf intensity of green color (at flowering stage), medium bract size (at green maturity) and medium boll petiole length were distinct from SKT134 genotype. Therefore, this research results characterized distinct morphological characters having uniformity and stability of three cotton new genotypes in the course of introduction as cultivars which could be used for mentioned cultivars registration for having plants breeders' right. Also, with due attention to uniformity and stability of distinctness of eight qualitative morphological characteristics, can used these characteristics as descriptors of cultivars which would introduced for those genotypes seed production fields control and certification of genetical purity and genuineness