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Dry seeds of an early variety of jute (Fanduk) were X-irradiated to study the effect of selection for days to flower. Variation was induced in days to flower as evident from the high values of genotypic variances and heritability estimates in the M&sub1; generation. Asymmetric response was realized in tile M4 generation following disruptive selection- response being more towards lateness than earliness. However, significant variances for days to flower were present among both early and late selections in M4 generation. While late lines were superior to the mother variety in plant height and fibre yield/plant, early lines were inferior to the mother variety in these waits. Distribution of 15 late lines in fibre yield and plant height, classes showed that 8 lines exceeded the mother variety in fibre yield/plant and 7 of them exceeded it in plant height. In general, gradual shift towards lateness was associated with gradual shift towards greater plant height and fibre yield. Two late lines were very promising and earlier in maturity than the recommended early varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]