Jute, the second most important natural fibre crop after cotton in the world. Bangladesh occupied the first position for jute fibre production and exportation after India among south-east Asian countries. Tossa jute is cultivated more (80–85%) here among the commercial cultivation of jute and allied fibre crops. It produces quality fibre but yield is low due to stress susceptibility compared to capsularis jute. The self-pollination nature and sexual incompatibility between two jute species (C. capsularis and C. olitorius) cause narrower genetic base and restrict genetic exchange. So, intra specific hybridization using diversified jute germplasms or genetic change will be the best option to the jute breeders for genetic improvement of existing cultivars. Hence, 20 tossa jute genotypes were investigated through field based morphological study (RCBD) and laboratory oriented anatomical study (CRD) for yield and yield attributing morpho-anatomical variability at BJRI during March, 2019 to July, 2020. Among 20 tossa jute genotypes, Acc. 1318, O-043-7-9(G), Acc. 4311, Acc. 1306, O-0411-10-4, O-049-1-3, O-0512-6-2, Acc. 4160 showed good results for yield and yield related morphological traits at 120 days after sowing and stem anatomical traits at 100 days after sowing. Higher significant genotypic correlation coefficient values were recorded than phenotypic associations among all the morphological traits. Plant height, fresh weight, fibre yield content gave high heritability (>80%) in broad sense along with possibility of more genetic advance in percentage. The average inter-cluster distances were higher than the average intra-cluster distances, which shows the presence of wide genetic diversity among the genotypes of different clusters than those of the same cluster. The first three principal components, whose Eigen values are greater than one, accounted for 99.96% of the total variation among the studied characters. The information obtained from this investigation is useful in planning further breeding programme for tossa jute improvement.

Tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius) is a natural fibre crop produces good quality fiber having great demand for industrial uses. High yielding tossa jute variety is very important in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) has developed a new tossa jute variety (BJRI Tossa Pat 7) through pure line selection (PLS) from another pre-released variety named OM-1 during 2017. The new variety was evaluated for fiber yield and attributing phonological traits through comparing with another pre-released variety named BJRI Tossa Pat 5 (O-795) in RCB design at six locations during 2015–2018. Distinct morphological traits i.e. ovate lanceolate glossy leaves; full green plant were found in MG-1 and stem & stipule red; ovate lanceolate leaves in O-795. MG-1 showed higher fiber yield (3.39–3.40 t ha⁻¹) where, O-795 showed 3.10–3.22 t ha⁻¹ as means of their maximum performances for three years at both farmers' plots and research fields. MG-1 gave higher plant height, base diameter, fiber yield than O-795 at both research stations and farmers’ fields. Even after sowing at 10–15 March, MG-1 gave late flowering; lower leaf size, leaf angle, green leaf biomass and node number; maximum inter-nodal length, bark diameter, bark thickness and fiber bundle cells; and finally golden bright quality fiber than O-795. If both varieties were sown at 2^nd to 3^rd week of March, and harvested at 110 days old, MG-1 gave 5–7% higher fiber yield than O-795. Undoubtedly, MG-1 is a good tossa jute variety for its fiber yield and quality than pre-released varieties. MG-1 having good fiber yield would be used for commercial cultivation by the farmers to contribute to the national economy.

Background and aims: Investigation was carried out to estimate the variability, heritability, genetic advance for fiber yield based on yield attributing morpho-anatomical traits of tossa jute in field and laboratory. Materials & Methods: The experiments were carried out using 12 tossa jute genotypes followed by randomized complete block design in five jute research regions (Rangpur, Faridpur, Jessore, Manikganj districts and Bangladesh Jute Research Institute head office, Dhaka) of Bangladesh during 2019-20. Hypothesis: The tested genotypes were expected to perform better for fiber yield than control varieties. Results: The jute genotypes i.e. Acc. 1318, Acc. 1306, (JRO S₁), O-412-9-4, O-0512-6-2 providing good results for plant height, base diameter, green weight and dry fiber yield in morphological study; and total trapezoidal area per transverse section, number of trapezoid per T. section, bark diameter, bark thickness in anatomical study depicting the more variability as well as possibility of tossa jute development. These morphological and anatomical traits showing significant association with one another, and coupled with high genetic and phenotypic variance-covariance components; high heritability; high & moderate genetic advance and genetic advance in percent of mean would be used for selection of jute genotypes regarding the jute crop improvement for fiber yield. Conclusions: The high variation for morphological and anatomical characters may be considered as effective method for screening of jute genotypes for higher fiber yield comparing with control varieties. The genotypes i.e. Acc. 1318, Acc. 1306, (JRO S₁), O-412-9-4, O-0512-6-2 with good morphological and anatomical traits related to yield could be used as parents in breeding program as well as jute variety development.

An investigation was done to assess the genetic variability, character associations, and genetic diversity of eight jute genotypes for seven morphological traits in a randomised complete block design at Bangladesh Jute Research Institute during 15 March, 2018 to 31 December, 2019. Analyses results revealed significant differences (P1.0) accounted for 90.88% of the total variation in the principal component analysis. PCA and cluster analyses indicated that the advanced breeding line O-0412-9-4 made its individual cluster II with higher inter-cluster distance and higher fibre yield (3.12 t ha-1). The investigation was done to select the genotype(s) with good fibre yield and distinct features in respect of developing high yielding Tossa jute variety for cultivation in the farmers’ field. This genotype O-0412-9-4 was selected based on higher plant height, base diameter, fibre yield content. It will be developed as a high yielding variety considering its’ higher genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance, significant associations for desirable characters.

Background and Aims. Anatomy of twelve tossa jute genotypes were performed for the variability, heritability, and genetic advance based on yield attributing six anatomical traits. Materials and Methods. The experiments were carried out in field and laboratory including 12 tossa jute genotypes followed by RCB design in JAES, Manikganj, and Bangladesh Jute Research Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh, during 2019‐2020. Hypothesis. The tested genotypes were expected to perform better than controls in respect of anatomical characters contributing to fiber yield in tossa jute plants. Results. Five genotypes, i.e., Acc. 1318, Acc. 1306, JRO S₁, O‐412‐9‐4, and O‐0512‐6‐2 providing good results for the total fiber bundle area, trapezoid number, bark diameter, area of trapezoid, and bark thickness per transverse section in the anatomy of jute plants depicting the more variability (P > 0.01) as well as the possibility of tossa jute varietal development. These morphological and anatomical traits showing highly significant association ( ^∗∗) with one another and coupled with high genetic and phenotypic variance components; high heritability; high and moderate genetic advance and higher divergence in clustering (D²), and PCA would be used as criteria for selection and improvement for fiber yield of tossa jute. Conclusions. The high variation and divergence for anatomical characters may be considered an effective selection method of genotypes for higher fiber yield comparing with controls. The genotypes, i.e., Acc. 1318, Acc. 1306, JRO (segregate), O‐412‐9‐4, and O‐0512‐6‐2 with good anatomical traits related to fiber yield could be used as parents in breeding program as well as direct variety development.

Corchorus olitorius L. jute is a natural fiber crop that is very susceptible to salinity stress. Salinity in soil is a serious threat to tossa jute cultivation in salt-prone regions of Bangladesh. Development of salinity stress tolerant tossa jute variety is a crying need in Bangladesh. Hence, 22 tossa jute genotypes were investigated in an augmented design against 7.86-7.93 dSm^-1 salinity stress at coastal regions of Bangladesh during 2017-2019. Salt-tolerant jute genotypes were phenotypically screened out based on survivability, vegetative growth, plant height, base diameter, and fiber yield capacity. Among all genotypes, Acc. 4160 and Acc. 2311 showed good fiber yield (18.0 and 13.8 g plant-1, respectively) with the lowest mortality rate (5.67 and 8.0%, respectively). Acc. 1381, Acc. 2307, Acc. 1334, Acc. 1381 and the pre-released varieties, namely O-9897, BJRI Tossa Pat 5, JRO-524 (Green) were also found good for the aforesaid traits. Among the studied characters, high heritability in a broad sense, genetic advance (%) of mean and significant associations were found which contribute to fiber yield significantly. According to the Clustering and principal component analyses, the relatively salt-tolerant genotypes of cluster II (Acc. 4160, Acc. 2311, Acc. 2307, JRO-524 (Green), Acc. 4327, BJRI Tossa Pat 5, Acc. 1334 & Acc. 1381) could be used as breeding materials and sources of salt-tolerant genes to develop salt-tolerant tossa jute variety.