Technological cotton fiber traits are essential for the quality and remuneration of its products. This study aimed to estimate the genetic divergence among cotton accessions and assort the best ones, based in a selection index combining all the important traits. A total of 248 cotton accessions were evaluated using multivariate analysis (Mahalanobis distance and Tocher grouping) and a selection index based in average rank via mixed models (REML/BLUP). The Tocher grouping analysis enabled the structuring of the accessions population by allocating them into 14 divergent groups. Selective accuracies were high for all traits, ranging from 0.89 to 0.94, indicating a favorable scenario for selection. Genetic correlations among the six traits were moderate to low, making impossible the breeding of a trait, via indirect selection, in another. The simultaneous selection for fiber traits, concerning the Mulamba and Mock selection index, showed to be promising. The best accessions for the six traits were simultaneously the 4S180, C96480, Giza75, 196Lasani11, Brown Egyptian, Early Fluff 316, C268-80 and 207MG-82607.
Gossypium hirsutum L.; cotton breeding; multivariate analysis
