Baig et al Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 6 (2): 1052-1058 (2018) ISSN: 2320 – 7051 Copyright © March-April, 2018; IJPAB 1052 NHH 250: A New High Yielding Sucking Pest Tolerant American Cotton Hybrid for Central Zone of India Baig K. S. 1* , Deosarkar D. B. 2 , Gaikwad A. R. 3 and Pandagale A. D. 4 Cotton Research Station, Nanded 431 604, Maharashtra State, India (Under Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agricultural University Parbhani-431 402 (M.S) *Corresponding Author E-mail: khizerbaig123@gmail.com Received: 3.03.2018 | Revised: 10.04.2018 | Accepted: 16.04.2018 INTRODUCTION Cotton is one of the most important fibre yielding crop at global level cultivated in more than seventy countries under tropical and subtropical regions. In India, it is grown on 105 lakh hectares area with average lint productivity of 568 kg/ha 3 . Though the area under cultivation is largest, the National cotton productivity is still low as compared to the world’s average. Dependence on rain by 65 per cent area, poor quality of seeds, high incidence of pests and diseases, fragmented land holdings coming in the way of application of modern production technologies for increasing average productivity of cotton in the country 12 . India is the only country in the world where all the four cultivated species (Gossypium hirsutum, G. barbadense, G. arboreum and G. herbaceum) and their hybrid combinations are commercially grown. Available online at www.ijpab.com DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.6301 ISSN: 2320 – 7051 Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 6 (2): 1052-1058 (2018) ABSTRACT Cotton hybrid NHH 250 was developed by crossing female parent NH 111 with PH 1009 as a male. Newly developed hybrid, NHH 250 has given consistent performance in central zone comprising of four states viz., Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Gujarat for seed cotton yield under rainfed conditions. On an average of 07 trials conducted across Marathwada region for four years, NHH 250 recorded 74.94 and 12.54 % higher seed cotton yield over checks NHH 44 and Bunny, respectively. On an average of 10 State Multi-location hybrid trials conducted in Maharashtra state during 2008 to 2014, the hybrid NHH 250 recorded 37.44, 34.10, 50.00, 28.84 and 12.81 per cent increased seed cotton yield over checks viz., NHH 44, Bunny, PKV HY 4, PKV HY 5 and Phule 492, respectively. On an average of 17 trials conducted under AICCIP during 2010 to 2012 in central zone, the Hybrid NHH 250 recorded 23.93 and 13.33 per cent increased seed cotton yield over zonal check, Ankur 651 and Local checks, respectively. It is found tolerant against Bacterial blight, Alternaria leaf spot and Grey mildew. This hybrid is also found tolerant for sucking pests. The hybrid NHH 250 has recorded mean fibre length of 27.7 mm, fibre strength of 20.8 g/tex and micronaire of 4.1 μg / inch. The mean seed oil content of NHH 250 is 17.87 per cent. Hence, it is recommended for general cultivation under rainfed conditions of central zone. Key words: Cotton, NHH 250, Standard Heterosis, Seed cotton yield, Sucking pests tolerant Research Article Cite this article: Baig, K.S., Deosarkar, D.B., Gaikwad, A.R. and Pandagale, A.D., NHH 250: A New High Yielding Sucking Pest Tolerant American Cotton hybrid for Central Zone of India, Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 6(2): 1052-1058 (2018). doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.6301