Combining ability studies in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench)

The experiments was undertaken to study the combining ability for yield and its attributing traits in okra. The experimental material consisted of seven parents and 42 F1s produced from diallel mating design including reciprocals. Analysis of variance for combining ability was carried out for eleven characters. The mean squares due to gca, sca and reciprocal effects were significant for all the characters, indicating substantial genetic variations for all the characters studied. The genotypes VRO-6, Pusa A-4 and Arka Anamika were identified as good general combiners for most of the characters including yield per plant and can be exploited well in future breeding programme. Similarly, Ajeet Dhanlaxmi 2-4-2 sel x VRO-6, Pusa A-4 x VRO-6 and VRO-6 x Arka Anamika were the good specific combinations and could be used as a heterotic hybrids. For traits viz., nodal position for fruit, days to first flowering, first picking and number of branches additive gene action was observed for governing these traits. However, for other traits σ² D was greater than σ² A indicating the non-additive gene action for the expression of those traits