Genetic Correlations among Agronomic and Fiber Quality Traits in Six Upland Cotton Populations

Random inbred lines (F_3:5 and F_3:7) from six cotton populations developed by two methods of inbreeding were tested in multiple-row plots for two years in the field at Tallassee, AL. All parents used for population development were adapted upland cultivars or elite breeding lines. Genetic correlations (and their standard errors) among such agronomic traits as lint yield, lint percentage, boll weight and lint weight/seed; and HVI fiber quality traits (fiber length, strength, micronaire, short fiber content and others) were calculated using the multivariate restricted maximum likelihood approach. Inbreeding methods were also compared.