Evaluation of two early maturing cotton genotypes in three ecological regions of Iran

Two early maturing cotton genotypes viz. Hosseini-I and Hosseini-II which had been developed by hybridization and backcross methods between Sindise-80 (early maturing) and two other lines i.e. Red leaf and Bulgare-557 were compared with four native commercial cotton cultivars namely, Varamin, Oltan, Sahel and Arya in randomized complete block design with four replications in the three ecological regions i.e. of Varamin, Moghan and Kashmar of Iran during 2016 and 2017. Earliness data were collected for six treatments during two years in the three regions except for the second year of Kashmar. Missed data in this case were estimated and imputed. Earliness means and their interaction effects were compared with Duncan's multiple range tests. For testing the homogeneity of error variances, each experiment at a given location or year was analyzed separately using Hartley and Bartlett's Chi-square tests and both tests confirmed homogeneity of variance. Combined analysis of variance showed that the above mentioned two new genotypes were superior in Varamin, Moghan and Kashmar regions.