Exploitation of Heterosis for Plant and Yield Characteristics in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench).

The present experiment was conducted in bhindi / okra to observe the extent of heterosis for eight characters of plant and fruit yield traits through diallel analysis. The characters consist of plant height (cm), number of primary branches per plant, node at which 1st flower appears, number of nodes on main stem, internodal length, days to 50% flowering, pod yield per plant (g) and pod yield per hectare (q/ha). The experimental material comprised of 66 F1 hybrids developed from crossing 12 okra genotypes in diallel crossing excluding reciprocals. Out of eight characters studied, plant height, number of branches per plant and number of nodes on main stem are growth determining features. They generally decide the fruit/pod bearing surface of the okra plant. Therefore, Positive heterosis is desirable for plant height, number of branches per plant, number of nodes on main stem including fruit yield per plant and fruit yield per hectare but negative heterosis is profitable for node at which 1st flower appears, intermodal length and days to 50% flowering. Out of 66 F1, 50, 32 and 38 hybrids showed significant heterosis positively over mid parent, better parent and standard check respectively for fruit yield per plant and fruit yield per hectare and the highest was reported in hybrids IC-45831 ×IC-43733 subsequently IC-45831 ×Pusa A-4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]