Genetics of fruit yield and its component characters in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench)

A full diallel cross involving seven okra genotypes was used to study the inheritance of fruit yield and its component characters in okra. Data from the F₁ generation and parents were analyzed using Hayman (1954) method of diallel analysis. The estimates of D were significant for all the traits studied. The values of H₁ and H₂, as well as H₂/4H₁, indicated that there were unequal frequencies of the alleles at all the loci. An excess of dominant alleles was involved in five out of the eleven traits of interest. The mean degree of dominance was more than unity for all the traits studied, including fruit yield per plant. The narrow sense heritability estimates were higher for four out of the 11 traits studied. In the presence of overdominance for yield, the best recurrent scheme to develop hybrids will be reciprocal recurrent selection.