Abstract
To develop cultivar, yielding better under drought stress, breeder needs the information about the gene action of the traits related to yield and quality responsible for drought tolerance. The objective of the study was to generate genetic information, which can help in breeding cotton cultivars with improved drought tolerance. Six genotypes of Gossypium hirsutum (S-12, NIAB-78, CIM-240, Karishma, CP-1521 & ACALA-15/17) were selected to make cross combinations. The parents F-1, F-2 and backcross generations of six crosses were studied under drought conditions in the field to find gene action of the traits, plant height, number of monopodial branches per plant, number of sympodial branches per plant, number of bolls per plant, boll weight, ginning out-turn, staple length, fiber strength, fiber fineness, relative water content and excised leaf water loss. The generation means analysis indicated that all three kinds of gene effects (additive, dominance & interactions) were involved in the inheritance of the studied traits. The plants selected in early segregating generation may not breed true thus selection at later segregating generations may show good results.