Genetic analysis of yield and yield-attributing characters in Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]

Thirty one okra genotypes were grown and evaluated for yield and yield attributing traits at the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Vellayani, Trivandrum, Kerala during the period of 20112012. All the characters studied showed a wide range of variation. The variability for yield among the accessions evaluated was also remarkable. The magnitude of PCV was higher than that of GCV for all the traits. The PCV and GCV were very close for most of the characters which indicated less environmental influence on the expression of the characters under study. High values of PCV with correspondingly high values of GCV were observed for the characters viz., number of primary branches and number of fruits per plant which indicated the presence of substantial variability for these characters thus suggesting good scope for improvement through selection. High magnitude of heritability coupled with high genetic advance for the characters viz., leaf axil bearing first fruit, plant height, duration, yield per plant, number of fruits per plant, number of primary branches, fruit weight and fruit length suggested the scope for improvement of these characters through selection. High heritability coupled with moderate genetic advance for days to 50% flowering and fruit girth revealed that direct selection has limited scope for further improving these traits.