THE DETERMINATION OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VERTICILLIUM WILT (Verticillium dahliae Kleb.) AND EARLY MATURITY IN COTTON (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between earliness of crop maturity and Verticillium wilt. Ten cotton genotypes were evaluated in natural infection under field conditions of Nazilli Cotton Reseach Institute in 2006 and 2007. Foliar disease index (FDI), vascular disease index (VDI), days to flowering (DF), days to boll opening (DB) and seed cotton yield (SCY) were determined. In regard to FDI and VDI, the most tolerant genotypes were Carmen (standard cotton cultivar), NGC, GSN 12 and M25-G, while the most sensitive genotype was NP Ozbek-100. NMCH-11/4, NCCH-9/2 and NCCH-8/1 were other sensitive genotypes. The performances to verticillium wilt of other standard cotton cultivars, Nazilli 84 S and Sayar 314 were non-stabile. The maturity characteristics, DF and DB, were significant negative correlated with all Verticillium severity parameters, whereas these characteristics were significant positive correlated with SCY. Carmen cultivar should be recommended for infected areas and improving diseases tolerance in cotton breeding programs.