Assessment of Genetic Parameters for Yield Improvement in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench)
Devansh Rawat
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (U.P.), India.
Mahipat Singh
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (U.P.), India.
Mousmi Syed *
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (U.P.), India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The present investigation was conducted to assess the extent of genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance, and mean performance among twelve diverse okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) genotypes for yield and its contributing traits. The experiment was carried out during the kharif season of 2025 at the Research Farm, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design (RBD) with three replications. Observations were recorded for ten quantitative characters, namely days to 50% flowering, plant height, number of internodes on the main stem, internode length, number of branches per plant, days to first picking, fruit length, fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, and fruit yield per plant. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among the genotypes for all the characters studied, indicating the presence of considerable genetic variability. Phule Utkarsh recorded the highest fruit yield per plant (225.76 g), followed by Kashi Pragati (213.12 g), Pusa Makhmali (209.71 g), and Arka Abhay (207.76 g), whereas Kashi Vibhuti exhibited the lowest fruit yield (107.59 g). High genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation were observed for the number of branches per plant (29.42% and 30.19%, respectively), followed by the number of internodes on the main stem and fruit yield per plant, indicating substantial variability in these traits. High broad-sense heritability was recorded for the number of branches per plant (95.00%), internode length (93.90%), number of internodes on the main stem (84.10%), number of fruits per plant (79.00%), and plant height (77.10%). The number of branches per plant also exhibited the highest genetic advance as a percentage of the mean (59.23%), followed by the number of internodes on the main stem (30.38%), indicating the predominance of additive gene action and the potential effectiveness of selection for these traits. The results suggest that Phule Utkarsh, Kashi Pragati, Pusa Makhmali, and Arka Abhay are promising genotypes for yield improvement. Furthermore, the number of branches per plant, number of internodes on the main stem, plant height, and number of fruits per plant may be effectively utilised as selection criteria in okra breeding programmes aimed at developing high-yielding cultivars.
Keywords: Abelmoschus esculentus, genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance, GCV, PCV, yield, quantitative traits, germplasm evaluation